


Tumblr Ficlets (Season 2)

by BeStillMySlashyHeart



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 39,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23298955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeStillMySlashyHeart/pseuds/BeStillMySlashyHeart
Summary: All ficlets originally posted on my tumblr now collected here on Ao3. All works are written while season 2 airs.Most of them are Malex but may feature other pairings and characters in varying degrees.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 37
Kudos: 153





	1. 2x01 Interlude (Rosa + Alex)

“I didn’t think you’d be squeamish,” Rosa’s voice came out of the darkness. The girl herself followed a moment later and Alex felt his heart stop. He’d already heard that she was alive again from Kyle but seeing it was a different thing entirely.

“I’m not,” he replied after a long pause. 

Rosa raised an eyebrow and dropped into a seat opposite him. “Don’t want to watch the alien dissection?”

Alex looked over at the open bunker covering. He could hear Michael’s voice faintly. “It’s not that. It’s-” he shook his head. “It’s not the dissection.”

“Oh?” Rosa asked. “Spill it, Manes.”

“Don’t call me that,” he snapped. After his little chat with Michael, he wasn’t sure he could handle someone else calling him by his last name.

“Alex,” she corrected softly. “Talk to me, dude.”

Alex looked at her for a long moment, drinking in the sight of her. It was really her. “Boy troubles.”

“Oh yeah?” She kicked out a foot and nudged his leg when he didn’t answer right away. His right leg. She paused and looked at him. “What the hell?”

He smiled sadly. “You missed a lot, Rosa.”

She nodded slowly. “So fill me in.”

“Uh, well,” he leaned back in his chair. “Joined the Air Force. Lost my leg in Afghanistan. Had some odd back and forth with Guerin since high school that seems to be done, officially. Just found out Max died and you’re alive.” He shrugged. “Those are the highlights.”

Rosa snorted. “You can do better than that.” She jerked her head. “Come on. Drive me back to Max’s and talk to me.”

Alex glanced at the open bunker and considered it. They didn’t really need them up here to keep watch, as much as Alex wanted to feel useful right now. And it would be nice, if odd, to spend time with Rosa.

He smiled. “Let’s go.”


	2. 2x01 Coda (Malex)

Michael was tired. He’d been tired for weeks. And after yesterday, between helping Isobel train and the fight at the Pony and dissecting Noah’s corpse, he was ready to sleep for a week. 

Unfortunately, the person outside his door clearly had other ideas.

Michael grumbled as he rolled out of the bed. He didn’t bother to put any clothes on as he stumbled to the door, pushing it open ahead of him with a small press of his powers. Outside, Alex had to take a step back to avoid getting hit. 

“What do you _want_?” Michael dropped against the side of the door frame. “Seriously, Alex. Was I not clear?”

Alex very carefully looked at his face. “No, you were perfectly clear.” He held up the guitar case. “Now let me be clear. We’re going to be in each other’s lives. We can’t avoid that. And if you don’t want it to be anything more than friends or coworkers or acquaintances that’s fine, I’ll respect it. But let me be that.” He slid the guitar case by Michael’s leg and propped it up just inside the door. “You love music, Guerin. And you love playing.” He nodded at Michael’s hand. “Now you can again. Don’t be a dick just to try and prove a point. Take the guitar. Learn to play again. Find your calm in the chaos or however you phrased it.” Michael stilled at Alex’s words. For a heartbeat, he was back in that shed before the world went to hell. He’d almost forgotten he’d admitted that to Alex, he couldn’t believe Alex had remembered.

“Guerin?” Alex asked softly.

Michael blinked. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

The words ‘I’m fine’ were on the tip of his tongue. He’d been saying them often enough lately that he didn’t have to think about it. But Alex had that calm sincerity in his eyes, that look of easy acceptance that said he knew Michael wasn’t and he knew Michael couldn’t admit it but it was okay. “No,” he said, surprising himself and Alex. “I’m not. And I can’t deal with you right now.”

Alex nodded and took a step back. “Okay. I’ll keep my distance. But keep the guitar.” He turned and walked away. Halfway to his car he turned back around. “I’m sorry about Max,” he called back. “I’ll do everything I can to help you get him back.” There was guilt in his voice, guilt that didn’t belong to him but Michael knew he’d put there. None of what had happened to Michael’s family was Alex’s fault and he’d put it at his feet anyway. 

He started to tell Alex that but the man was gone before he could open his mouth. Michael watched his car pull away before letting the door fall shut. Bracing himself against it he couldn’t help but look down at the guitar case. He hadn’t played since the night Max died. He’d been at the Pony when he felt it and hadn’t touched an instrument since then 

The guitar was in his hands before he could think about it, the case forgotten on the ground. As he started to strum, the soft vibration in his hands stilled his thoughts like all the alcohol and acetone and anonymous sex of the past two weeks hadn’t been able to do.


	3. 2x01 Coda (Kyle + Michael)

“Guerin!” Kyle yelled before he could stop himself. Next to him, Liz stopped in her tracks and turned to look over her shoulder at where Michael was slumping back into his trailer. For his part, Michael barely spared him a glance.

“Everything okay?” Liz asked. Kyle looked at her, took in her tired features, and quickly decided not to involved her.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” he assured her. “You should go. See Rosa. I just need to ask him something real quick, now that all the craziness is over for the night.”

Liz looked suspicious but ultimately didn’t argue. She just gave him a tired nod and sent Michael a pathetic wave goodbye and got into her car. Kyle was a little worried she was too tired to drive but he knew Liz wouldn’t have gotten behind the wheel if she wasn’t sure she’d be okay. Even with Rosa alive and well, her ‘death’ had had a lasting impact.

Kyle waited for her to drive away before grabbing the folder from his passenger seat.

“What is it, Valenti?” Michael grumbled tiredly. He was slumping against the door frame like it was all that was holding him up. For the first time, Kyle paused and considered how Michael was doing after witnessing an alien dissection. “Whatever,” Michael turned to go inside when Kyle didn’t speak right away.

“Wait,” he called. He jogged over and held up the folder. Michael barely glanced at it before he stilled and his face twisted in anger. _Huh,_ Kyle mused, _that answers that question_. “I saw this in Alex’s car. He was supposed to give it to you.”

Michael’s jaw clenched. “I really don’t want it.” There was something in his eyes, some pain or sadness that Kyle didn’t know Michael well enough to read. 

“Okay,” he said sharply. “I’m _not_ getting involved in this because it is none of my business but I need you to drop the angry cowboy act for like five seconds, okay? I’m guessing you talked to Alex and I’m guessing it didn’t go well based on how Alex has been acting recently and you’re,” he waved a hand to include Michael’s everything, “but Alex has spent two weeks combing through _years_ of footage just to scrape together everything he could find about your mother because he thought you deserved to know whatever you could. You think you know what happened at that place?” Kyle shook his head. “I watched about five minutes of it before I couldn’t take it anymore but Alex refused to give up. He wanted to be able to give you something, _anything,_ he could of your mom. Caulfield wasn’t his fault, Guerin.” He held out the folder between them. “Take the damn folder. If you don’t want to look at it yet, that’s fine. But coming from someone who’s only recently found out the truth about his dad? It’s nice to _know_. It’s nice to have facts and to know who your parent really is. If you’re not ready to read it, just hold on to it until you are.”

“I don’t need to see her tortured and experimented on,” Michael replied. “How would that help anyone?”

Kyle nodded slowly before flipping through the folder to find the photo he’d seen Alex staring at the other day. Silently he pulled it out and showed it to Michael. Before he could, though, Michael turned away. “I don’t need to see that, Valenti.”

“Guerin,” he paused. “Michael. Just look. Do you really think Alex would do something like this to hurt you?”

Michael closed his eyes and took a slow, deep breath before looking at Kyle. He paused a moment before letting his eyes fall down to the photo. Kyle heard a small hiss as he sucked in a quick breath before stilling. 

The photo showed Nora, Michael’s mom, holding a little girl and combing her fingers through her hair. Next to her were two other children. When Kyle had seen the photo he’d made Alex pull up the corresponding footage. In this moment, Nora had been singing softly to the kids to keep them calm and distract them from their parents being taken away. It wasn’t a _good_ moment, but it was a moment of unquestionable humanity and grace.

“She was good with the other prisoners,” Kyle said softly. “She was able to keep them calm, get them to smile, sometimes even make them laugh. Even with everything that was happening, she was a good person, Guerin. She didn’t let them destroy who she was.” He paused. “Alex wanted you to know that.”

Michael blinked rapidly and rubbed at suddenly wet eyes as he looked away. Kyle took the photo and slipped it back into the folder. He winced when he saw the photo Alex had put on top as he placed the new one over it.

“He cares about you,” Kyle added quietly.

“Don’t,” Michael snapped. “I don’t want to hear it. And you didn’t want to get involved, right?”

“Right,” Kyle agreed. “But I’m not wrong.” He took a step forward and pressed the folder into Michael’s chest lightly. After a moment, Michael’s hand came up and took it from him. “Good night, Guerin.” When he pulled out a moment later, he left Michael standing in his open doorway staring down at the closed folder. 


	4. Gen + Alex's House (Rosa POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> based on the new revelation that Alex doesn't actually live at the cabin
> 
> basically, what if Michael was the only one who knew that?

“Hey,” Kyle greeted as he dropped into an empty chair. “Has anyone seen Alex?”

Rosa looked around as everyone shrugged. “Not today,” Liz shook her head. “Is everything okay?”

Kyle shook his head, his brow furrowed. “I found something on those files he asked me to go through and he wasn’t answering my texts so I drove out to the cabin but he wasn’t there.” His eyes widened briefly as he realized something. “Actually, it looked like he hadn’t been out there for a while.”

“The cabin?” Rosa asked.

“Kyle’s dad left Alex his old hunting cabin,” Liz explained.

“He’s been living out there since he got back,” Maria added. She turned to Kyle. “But you said he hasn’t been out there?”

Kyle shrugged. “It was dusty and the fridge was mostly empty.”

“He could just be terrible about cleaning and cooking his own food?” Rosa suggested, leaning back in his chair. She paused. “Isn’t your dad’s cabin like over an hour outside of town? Why would Alex live all the way out there?”

“Free housing?” Liz shrugged. 

“It’s not like he was going to move back in with his dad,” Maria added.

“He’s a grown man,” Isobel cut in. Rosa hadn’t even realized she was paying attention. “His only options are a cabin that was willed to him or living with his father?” She scoffed.

“What are we talking about?” Michael dropped his hat on the table as he sat down. Isobel rolled her eyes and pushed it into his lap.

“Not on the table, Michael.”

Kyle turned to Michael with a surprising amount of interest. “Hey. Have _you_ seen Alex lately?”

Michael ran a hand through his hair. “Define lately.”

“Today?”

Michael shook his head. “What? Is he missing?”

“He’s not answering his phone and he’s not out at the cabin,” Maria explained. “Kyle said it looks like he hasn’t been out to the cabin in a while. We’re just concerned.”

Michael furrowed his brow. “Why would he be out at the cabin? It’s like an hour away.”

Rosa watched the table exchange looks before Liz gave a small crooked smile. “Because he lives there?”

Michael stared at her. “No, he doesn’t?”

Maria got a weird look on her face. “He moved out there when he got back into town,” she told him. She nodded her head at Kyle. “Kyle’s dad willed it to him.”

“Yeah, I know that,” Michael agreed easily. “But he doesn’t live out there. It’s an hour away,” he repeated.

“Okay, fine,” Kyle said. “Where do you think he lives?”

Michael looked at all of them. “At his house?” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the door. “Like five minutes west of here?” No one seemed convinced. “Trust me. I know where Alex’s house is.” He didn’t quite leer but it was evident enough in his tone that Maria flinched and Rosa reconsidered everything she thought she’d known about him. 

“Really?” She leaned forward. “And how do you know that when Maria and Liz don’t?”

Michael quirked his head. “I guess I’ve just had more occasion to be at his house than they have.” He huffed a disbelieving laugh. “But really? He’s been back like six months and _all_ of you thought he was living out there? Really?”

Liz and Maria looked away at that and Rosa considered their guilty postures. Had they really not known where Alex, their best friend, lived? 

“We always meet out at the cabin,” Kyle argued.

Michael just looked at him like he was an idiot. Rosa got the feeling he looked at Kyle like that a lot.


	5. 2x01 Coda (Malex)

There was a loud thump against the door followed but what sounded like a dead cat mumbling his name. Alex ventured over cautiously until he saw the shadow of Michael’s curls through the window. With a heavy sigh he opened the door. Michael was leaning carefully against the frame and only just stopped himself from falling on his face.

He was very drunk.

“What are you doing here, Guerin?” Alex asked tiredly as he helped the man inside. He hadn’t spoken to him in a week despite seeing him several times to discuss the ongoing situation with Max.

“How’d you know?” Michael asked. For how much alcohol Alex could smell on him, he sounded remarkable sober.

“How’d I know what?” He helped Michael into a chair and went to grab a bottle of water from the kitchen.

“My hand.” 

Alex paused and glanced back. “What about it?” He grabbed the bottle and thrust it in Michael’s face. Michael glared at it then him but when he didn’t move it, he grabbed it out of his hand.

“How’d you know it was healed?”

Alex furrowed his brow. “I told you. I saw it at the funeral.”

“But I didn’t talk to you at the funeral,” Michael countered. “And I had it wrapped.”

“I don’t need to talk to you to see your hand, Guerin,” Alex replied. “And the wrapping doesn’t really do much to hide it. Your hand is obviously healed.”

“No one else noticed,” Michael pointed out.

“Yeah well, I’m guessing no one else pays as much attention to your hand as I do.”

“Admiring your father’s handiwork?” Michael asked spitefully.

“Fuck you,” Alex replied immediately. He was a little proud that he didn’t shout it, that he kept his voice even. Michael looked away, shame on his face. But Alex knew he wouldn’t apologize. Michael never apologized these days. “Don’t like that day only happened to you. My hand might not have been the one under the hammer but I was there too.”

“I know,” Michael admitted quietly. “I know, Alex.”

Alex clenched his jaw and looked away. “Why do you ask?”

Michael shrugged. “No one else has noticed.” He tugged at the wrapping until it falls off. When his hand was free he held it up between them and turned it over and back again. Alex stared at the unblemished skin for only a moment before he had to look away. “Why’d you bring me the guitar? What do you get out of it?”

Alex stared at him in confusion. “I don’t get anything out of it.” He shrugged. “I’m not playing much these days and I know you missed being able to so I thought one of us might as well get some use out of it. I wasn’t trying to get anything out of it,” he repeated. “Sometimes people can just do nice things for other people.”

“We’re not together,” Michael reminds him sharply. “We’re not going to be.”

“Yeah. I got that. You made yourself perfectly clear,” Alex assured him. “Doesn’t mean I have to stop caring. And it doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

“We’ve never been friends, Alex.”

“Well maybe we should try. It’s not like either one of us is going anywhere.”

“For once.”

Alex didn’t reply. “There’s a blanket over there. Do you need a pillow?”

Michael blinked at him. “What?”

“You’re drunk. I don’t know how you got here but you’re not driving. Sleep it off and go home in the morning. Now. Pillow?” Michael nodded slowly and Alex got up to get it. When he got back, Michael hadn’t moved. “Finish that water. If you need anything else, you know where everything is,” he reminded him. “See you in the morning.”

Michael let him go without a word.

In the morning, Michael was gone. And so was Alex’s guitar.


	6. Liz + Alex (Miluca & Malex ref, Liz POV)

“There you are,” Liz greeted in a huff. She let the heavy door ease closed behind her. “Everyone’s at the Pony.”

Alex didn’t look away from his screen. “I heard.” His voice was even, but purposefully so. Like he was trying not to give anything away.

Liz dropped her bag on the table and dropped into the seat next to Alex. He still didn’t look at her, his eyes fixed on the monitor in front of him. “Come on,” she tugged lightly at his arm. “You need a break from all of this as much as any of us. Come to the Pony. Have a drink. Crush Kyle at pool.” Alex closed his eyes briefly before finally looking at her. 

“You go,” he urged. “Have fun.” He turned back to the computer. “I’m good here.”

“Alex,” Liz said, suddenly serious. “You’re not good here.” And he wasn’t. He’d been spending a lot more time in their new command center than anyone else and it showed. His normal glow was gone, his skin pale from lack of sunlight. There were bags under his eyes that spoke to the little sleep he managed to get. And he was withdrawn, from all of them except for Kyle. Oh he was always there when they needed him, always ready and willing to help get Max back, but other than that he was as much of a ghost as Rosa was without the excuse of being dead.

“Liz,” he sighed. “I’m fine. Go have fun with everyone.”

Liz huffed and spun his chair around. Alex winced when the sudden movement pulled at his leg. “Sorry!” She cried when she saw.

“It’s fine. Just sore.” He started to turn his chair back but Liz stopped it. 

“Talk to me,” she ordered.

“Liz-”

“You once called me out on being a crappy friend,” she reminded him. “You don’t get to ignore me when I’m trying to be a decent one.” Alex sighed, defeated. “Why won’t you come to the Pony?”

Alex rubbed at his eyes, his exhaustion starting to show. “Honestly? There’s only so much I can take.”

Liz furrowed her brow. “So much of what?”

Alex snorted. “The Michael and Maria show.” He shook his head and looked away from her. “He says we’re bad for each other and that he needs to move on, fine. I accept that. I want him to be happy. And I want Maria to be happy. But there’s really only so much of having to watch it that I can take and I am,” he paused, his lips quirking sadly, “I am so far past that limit it’s not even funny. So no, I am not going to the Pony. Not tonight. Probably not for a little while.”

Liz didn’t know what to say. She’d heard from Maria that Alex and Michael had a past together but she hadn’t really considered what that meant. And once Maria started dating Michael, she’d assumed everything was okay. “Alex…” she said softly. “I, uh, I didn’t know.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t Maria tell you all about it?” He sounded bitter. Liz could understand that, recalling how tight lipped he’d always been about his love life. 

She sort of half shrugged. “She said he was your museum guy,” she explained. Alex looked away. “I sort of got the impression he was your Kyle.” His high school love. Someone he’d always have feelings for but nothing more than lingering memories mostly. 

“If we’re making comparisons, I’d say he’s my Max,” Alex admitted softly. He turned his chair back to face the monitors, summarily dismissing her and this conversation. Liz stared at his profile, at the weariness and the sadness etched into his features, and quickly made a decision. Without a word, she pushed up from her chair and walked back to where she’d left her bag. She fished her phone out and called Maria.

“Hey,” she greeted warmly. “I’m not going to make it to the Pony tonight.” Alex’s head snapped up and he turned to look at her with wide eyes. “I’ll text you tomorrow?” Maria agreed and Liz hung up the phone.

“What?” Alex asked, confused. Liz felt a pang at the realization that Alex had truly expected her to leave him here alone.

“What?” She shot back. Alex only stared at her as she rooted out Michael’s emergency bottle of whiskey.

“He cuts that with acetone,” Alex warned when she pulled it out. Liz looked from him to the bottle and back.

“Really?”

Alex shrugged. “I threw out the first three,” he told her. “But after a while I figured it was just a waste. And he doesn’t have the money to throw away on booze just for me to toss it in the trash.” He barely reacted to her look of wonder. She hadn’t really had the time or energy to consider Michael’s bad habits. Apparently, Alex had. He pushed away from the desk and rolled his chair over to a small cabinet at the end of the long table they’d set up. From the bottom drawer he pulled out a bottle of tequila. “Will this do?” He held it up.

Liz smiled and nodded before putting Michael’s whiskey back where she’d found it.

“You know,” Alex muttered as he slid her the bottle. “You really don’t need to stay here. I’m sure the Pony’s a lot more fun.”

Liz unscrewed the cap. “I’m not going anywhere.” 


	7. Maria + Alex (Miluca & Malex ref, Maria POV)

“Tell me something,” Maria greeted as Alex eased onto the stool in front of her. She hadn’t talked to him in a few weeks but she didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Is it normal for Michael to kiss and ghost?” Alex stilled.

“What?” 

“He shows up and kisses me and says we’re going to talk but then he just completely ignores me for two weeks before he comes back and starts making out with someone right in front of me.” She huffed. “Is that normal Michael behavior? Is that what I’m in for?” She grabbed him a beer and popped the top off.

“What?” Alex said again. Something in his voice froze the blood in her veins. Maria slowly straightened and looked at him. His face was a wash of confusion and hurt before he covered it with a blank stare.

“…Michael didn’t talk to you did he?” She asked quietly, her heart sinking. She’d told Michael she couldn’t do anything because of Alex so when he’d shown back up, she’d assumed he’d talked to Alex first. She should’ve known better.

Alex slowly shook his head. “Haven’t talked to you either,” he pointed out. His body and his voice were both perfectly still. It was eerie. And it wasn’t Alex.

Maria opened her mouth and closed it again, unable to find any words. “I thought he talked to you,” she repeated.

“About what?” Alex asked. His eyes were hard.

“About me and him,” she swallowed. “About us trying something.”

Alex nodded slowly. “What happened to it not meaning anything? I thought it was never happening again.” 

“Alex,” she starts softly. He doesn’t budge. “I really like him. And he likes me,” she adds quietly.

“Right,” Alex stared at her. He’s silent for a long while. “Well then. You should go for it.” Maria’s eyes widened in surprise. Alex was still nearly a statue in front of her, though. “If you like him and he likes you and you want to give it a shot, go for it,” he repeats. Suddenly he stands up, the stool scraping the floor beneath him.

“Alex?” 

“Thanks for the beer.” He left without a backwards glance. Maria’s eyes followed him all the way out the door before looking down at the untouched beer on the counter in front of her. She hadn’t even had a chance to give it to him. 


	8. Malex (ft Miluca, soulmate au)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the one where you don’t know your soulmate until you hear them say your name.

Alex wasn’t great at dealing with his emotional problems. He was well aware of his short comings in that regard. But he’d learned early and often that emotions made you weak and old habits were hard to overcome. 

It’s what made his relationship with Michael so hard. No matter what he said or how hard he tried to communicate with Michael, it was never enough. Sometimes it was like they were speaking two different languages without even realizing it.

Alex had thought it would be easier.

Or, if not easier, than at least it would all work out in the end. Because that’s the way it works, right? You find your soulmate and you live happily ever after. They’d lived in the same town and gone to the same school for years before they figured it out but Alex knew from the moment his name left Michael’s lips, from the moment that heat bloomed in his chest and warmed his whole body down to his fingertips and his toes (and he would honestly swear he’d felt it in his hair), Alex had known. His father made it difficult, just as they were trying to determine how to do this, how to be together, but Alex had thought a little distance would ease those wounds. Maybe he’d put too many miles between them. Too many miles, too many times.

Michael had chosen someone else. Alex didn’t know how. The _thought_ of making a life with someone other than Michael felt like a physical pain in his chest, he couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to actually do it. But Michael had managed it. Because being with Maria, feeling that pain, was somehow less than the pain Alex put him through. 

Alex had to accept that. 

He had to.

He was trying to.

He really wished he’d managed it before now. He just needed more _time_.

“Alex!” Kyle yelled, grabbing his arm. “We have to go!” The alarms were blaring loudly but Alex could hardly hear them.

He turned quickly, his eyes catching on everyone in the room. His friends. His family. They were all poised to run, the alarms catching them off guard as they tried to raid another Project Shepherd compound. Thankfully, this one was prisoner-free so the only people who’d be caught in the explosion was them. 

“Alex!” Liz yelled. She waved at the door. “Let’s go. Whatever’s on those computers isn’t worth it.” She was wrong. In the scant seconds he’d had to look them over he’d realized this was their headquarters. These computers held _everything_. 

“Go,” he told them. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Liz huffed and grabbed his arm. Alex grabbed her wrist and looked over her head at Max. “Go,” he told him. “You need to get out of here.” _Take her out of here,_ he didn’t say. Max seemed to hear him anyway. He held Alex’s gaze for a moment before giving him a firm nod. 

“Liz,” he urged, his hand wrapping loosely around her waist before he started to tug firmly. “Alex will be right behind us. But we’ve gotta go.”

Liz wanted to protest but Rosa came up on her other side and started pushing her towards the door. “Standing around isn’t going to help anyone, Liz, let’s go!” Liz finally let Max pull her out of the room and then they were gone.

“You’re not going to catch up,” Kyle realized quietly. “You _can’t_ ,” he looked down at Alex’s leg. It was true, Alex’s window of leaving this compound alive was quickly shrinking. If he didn’t leave now, he likely wouldn’t make it to the exit.

“I’ll be right behind you,” he promised anyway.

Kyle opened his mouth to object but again Rosa was there. She put both hands on her brother’s chest and shoved. “Move your ass, Valenti.” He stumbled back a few steps and then Isobel took over. She met Alex’s eyes with a wary look but she didn’t bother with pleasantries as she grabbed Kyle’s arm and pulled him after her. 

Then it was only Rosa, Maria, and Michael. “You need to go,” he told them. 

“No,” Michael and Maria responded immediately.

Alex looked at the screen and the progress of the file download. He wouldn’t be able to get it out of here but he should have just enough time to send it to the secure server they’d set up in their own compound. But it would be _just_ enough.

“This place is gonna blow,” he reminded them. “You need to be clear of it before it does.”

“So do you,” Maria stepped forward and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him a little. “I will walk out of this room when you do. Not a second before.”

Alex could see her determination in her eyes. Helplessly, he looked to Michael. “Guerin, get her out of here.”

But Michael was shaking his head. “Not a chance, Alex. You come with us or we all stay.”

Once again, Rosa stepped up. She took Maria’s hand off of Alex’s shoulder. “What about Mimi?” She asked quietly. Or as quietly as she could with the alarms still going. Maria froze, her eyes slipping closed. 

Alex tried to smile, tried to put on a brave face. “Go,” he urged her again. “Your mom needs you to leave.”

Maria shook her head. “I can’t just leave you here.” 

“I’ll be right behind you,” he promised wryly. He looked past her. “Michael, please, take her out of here.” Michael froze, his eyes widening in shock and something else. “Michael!” He yelled, glancing at the clock counting down. “You all need to go!”

“Alex,” Michael breathed, that indescribable look still on his face. 

Alex stared at him, trying to parse his reaction when his chest was nearly caved in by a tight hug. “You stupid, self sacrificing idiot,” Rosa muttered into his ear. “Just had to get all the attention, didn’t you?” Alex didn’t have time to respond before she was grabbing Maria’s wrist in a tight grip and literally yanking her after her as she hauled ass out of the room. 

And then it was just Alex and Michael. “Dammit, Michael, you need to leave!” Alex yelled. He knew how fast Michael could move and it would be close. But he needed to leave now. The file was still downloading on the computer.

Michael pressed a hand to his chest before slowly blinking. That indescribable look slowly gave way to one of wonder. “You’re my soulmate.”

Alex stared at him. “So what?!” Alex yelled. “You have Maria. But only if you _leave_.” Alex pushed at Michael’s shoulders. Michael barely moved except to grab Alex’s wrists. “Michael, please, just go. I can’t have you dying in here with me.”

“You’re my soulmate,” Michael repeated. 

The computer beeped loudly. The file was done. Alex shoved Michael’s behavior out of his mind and threw himself into the desk chair. It was child’s play to encrypt it with Kyle’s dad’s encryption and send it off to their own facility. It took less than a minute. Which left him, left them, with less than a minute.

Michael waited until Alex clicked enter and then spun his chair around. “You’re my soulmate,” he said for the third time, pulling Alex to his feet.

“Why do you keep saying that?” Alex asked. “It doesn’t matter. You chose Maria.”

Michael shook his head. “You said my name.”

“That’s how it works,” he agreed, confused.

“No, Alex,” Michael huffed. “Just now, you said my name.” He shook his head slightly. “You always call me Guerin. You’ve never called me Michael.”

Until just now.

Which means…

Michael didn’t know they were-

Alex felt the heat and then there was nothing.

—

Death felt a lot like the ground in the turquoise mines. Looked like it too.

“Alex?” Michael’s hands were holding Alex’s face like it was something precious. His voice was soft but rough, like he hadn’t used it in a while. There was a strange sensation on Alex’s chest and then a crushing relief swept through him. It was strange though, because it wasn’t his. Alex didn’t understand what was going on enough to feel relieved. “Alex?” Michael asked again. There were other sounds but they were distant. 

“Why-” Alex coughed, his through raw. “Why do I feel like I died?” He asked. He wasn’t sure why that was his first thought but it was.

The other sounds solidified into sobbing laughs of relief. Something fell onto his chest and forced the air out of his lungs.

“Hey, careful!” He heard someone, Kyle, warn. “He’s in recovery.”

Alex forced his eyes open. Michael was kneeling on his right, his face hovering over his and his hands still on Alex’s cheeks. Maria had his left hand clutched in hers, his fingers pressed to her lips. On his chest was Liz in some semblance of a hug though he couldn’t reciprocate.

“What happened?” He coughed.

“You accidentally saved your own ass,” Rosa grinned from behind Maria. “Michael somehow protected both of you from the explosion, well,” she stopped and considered, “most of it?” She shrugged. “You were about 95% dead there for about two weeks. Turns out aliens with human soulmates get some nifty power boosts. Everything Michael needed to know to save your life was in those files you saved from the compound.”

“And I feel like shit because…?”

Max and Isobel laughed. “Healing isn’t Michael’s forte?” Isobel offered. “Max almost killed himself again healing Michael. He didn’t have enough juice for you too so we had to wait until Michael could figure it out.”

Max stepped forward and gently nudged Maria and Liz out of the way. He didn’t bother asking Michael to move as he placed his hand on Alex’s chest. He initially put it right over Michael’s handprint but both Michael and Alex moved it before he could do anything. Max didn’t say a word before healing the rest of Alex’s aches and bruises. In a moment, Alex felt as good as new and thankfully, Max’s mark paled in comparison to Michael’s. 

“Better?” Max asked, sitting back on his heels. He accepted the acetone Liz shoved at him but didn’t take a sip yet. “All I’m good for right now is the small stuff.”

Alex pulled himself into a sitting position, softly knocking Michael’s hands away from his face as he did. “Yeah,” he leaned sideways into Michael. “Much. Thanks.”

Max smiled. “Anytime.”

He stood up only for Maria and Liz to get right back in Alex’s face. “If you ever do something like that again,” Liz started off.

“Don’t,” Maria finished with a hard look. “You don’t get to be the hero, okay? Been there, done that, leave it to someone else next time.”

Alex smiled tiredly. “Okay.” They all knew he was lying but Maria and Liz accepted it and crushed him in a joint hug. He would’ve fallen back onto the ground if Michael hadn’t held him up. 

“Okay,” Michael tried to pull Alex free of their grip. “That’s enough.” 

Liz glared at him playfully but did loosen her grip. She and Maria fell back and helped Michael get him to his feet. Once he was vertical, Kyle stepped in with his crutches. “You good?” He asked softly, his eyes searching Alex’s face. Alex only nodded but it was enough. “Good,” Kyle nodded. “Now. As your doctor, I am prescribing a lot of rest. And talking. Because apparently you suck at it.” 

Alex rolled his eyes. “We’re not talking about this.”

“I don’t know,” Isobel drawled. “We’ve done a lot of talking about it already.”

Alex nailed her with a hard stare. “Glad I was dead for that.”

“95% dead,” Rosa corrected. “This town’s only big enough for one zombie and it isn’t you.” She hugged him far more gently than she had before the compound went up. “Don’t be such an idiot next time, yeah?”

Alex didn’t bother replying and soon enough Michael was shooing everyone out ahead of them so they could make their way to the truck at Alex’s much slower pace. 

“So,” Alex asked as they pulled away from the mines. “You all did a lot of talking?”

Michael hummed. “Mostly about how you never mentioned we were soulmates.”

Alex looked at him. “I didn’t think it was a secret. It never occurred to me that you didn’t know.”

“So you thought this whole time that I wanted to be with someone else over my own soulmate?” Michael grip tightened on the wheel but he didn’t look over at Alex.

“We aren’t good for each other,” Alex parroted. “You wanted to be good for someone.”

Michael rubbed at his chest. “It hurts just to think about now.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “I know.”

Michael finally looked at him. “You know how this feels and you still thought I wanted someone else.”

“You _did_ want someone else,” Alex reminded him. “And you said it yourself, all I did was hurt you. Wasn’t a crazy idea that I hurt you more than that did,” he nodded at where Michael still rubbed his chest. 

“Okay,” Michael said slowly, his hand returning to the wheel. “I think we need to get some truths out into the open.” Alex started to say something but Michael kept going. “We’re soulmates. I love you. We hurt each other. We can be better.”

Alex didn’t say anything. “We can be better,” he repeated. He wasn’t going to touch the other thing. “Because we have to be? Because now you finally realize we don’t have any other options?”

Michael stopped the car. “Because I love you,” repeated. “And you loved me.” He turned to Alex, his hand not letting go of the steering wheel.

“I do love you,” Alex told him. “But that hasn’t stopped us from hurting each other.”

“Do you want us to do better? To be better?”

“Yes,” Alex answered honestly. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do for months. And I still seem to end up hurting you.” He and Michael had cobbled together a strange friendship over the past few months. If it was anyone else, Alex wouldn’t be able to call it a friendship, more some awkward combination of colleague and antagonist with a side of shared friend group forcing social interactions. But it was Michael and it was all they had so Alex counted it. What it wasn’t was something to build off of.

“So let’s be better,” Michael ignored the second half of his response. “Be good for me. Let me be good for you.” 

Alex held his eyes for a long moment. A car flew past them with a harsh honk of his horn but neither one of them even blinked. “What about Maria?”

“She’s not my soulmate,” Michael answered immediately. “Yes or no?”

“Yes.”


	9. 2x02 Coda (Alex + Kyle, Kyle + Michael)

Alex avoided the compound he’d set up for Operation Resurrect Max. He’d stopped by a few times to make sure everything was up and running but otherwise he steered clear. Michael had made himself very clear that he didn’t want to see Alex so Alex tried to respect that. Instead, he’d changed the locks at his father’s bunker and set up shop there. The only person who knew about it was Kyle and that suited Alex just fine. 

It took him longer than he would’ve liked to get the folder together. In between helping Maria look for Mimi (and avoiding her any other time lest he catch her and Michael together), helping Liz with Rosa, dealing with his father and Flint, and occasionally doing his actual job, he didn’t have much time. It was a good thing he didn’t need much sleep these days. 

“Hey,” Alex called as he and Kyle separated. They’d caught lunch together, a rare opportunity when they were both between obligations at the same time. Kyle was on his way out to the compound to help Liz with an experiment and Alex assumed Michael would be present as well. Kyle raised an eyebrow in question. “I’ve got something in my car I need to give you.”

Kyle followed without a word and Alex quickly handed the folder over. “Give this to Guerin.” 

Kyle took it. “Why can’t you give it to Guerin?” _Because when Alex went to his trailer he’d moved it to the damn Pony,_ Alex didn’t say. 

“Guerin doesn’t want to see me,” was all he offered. “I’m trying to respect that.”

Kyle looked at the folder then back at Alex. “I’m not gonna play messenger for you too,” he warned. He held the folder back out.

Alex shook his head. “One time only. He was looking for information and I found it in the Caulfield files. Thought he should have it but-”

“But he doesn’t want to see you so your sending it with me,” Kyle finished. “This why you’ve been avoiding the lab? Because of Guerin?” 

“Make sure he gets that, yeah? I need to head to the base.” Alex didn’t wait for a response before sliding behind the wheel and pulling the door shut.

Kyle tugged on the handle before he could pull away. Alex took a steadying breath and rolled the window down. “When do you have time to go through the Caulfield files?” He asked. “Is this why you aren’t sleeping?”

“Stop being a doctor for like five minutes, yeah?” Alex rolled the window back up and this time Kyle didn’t stop him.

—

Kyle waited until Liz left to meet Maria to pull out the folder. Whatever it was, he got the sense it wasn’t meant for anyone but Guerin.

“Hey,” he knocked Guerin’s feet off of the table. The rest of Guerin went with the motion and Kyle watched impassively as he struggled to regain his balance on his chair. When he was settled, Kyle dropped the folder in front of him. “Alex sent this for you.” 

Guerin stared at it, a strange look coming over his face. “Well take it back.”

“Look, I don’t know what the hell is going on with you two but I know that you need to get over it. We need Alex here, okay? He’s a part of this team that is trying to bring your brother back to life and he refuses to set foot here because you don’t want to see him. The past few weeks he’s looked like he isn’t sleeping and now I know it’s because of this,” Kyle pressed a finger into the folder and wagged it about in front of him. Guerin’s eyes were glued to it. “He is bending over backwards to try and make you happy, he is killing himself to give you information you asked for, and what? So you can shack up with his best friend and expect him to be happy about it?” Kyle picked up the folder and rounded the table. Guerin didn’t look at him. Kyle pressed it firmly into his chest and waited until Guerin took it from him before lowering himself to meet his eyes. “Like I said, I don’t know what’s going on with you two but what I do know is Alex is doing everything, _everything_ he can to make your life just a little bit better and just a little bit easier and you don’t seem to give a shit that you’re putting him through hell for it.”

Guerin’s eyes turned hard. For once, they seemed to lack the glaze of alcohol and the meanness that came with it. “I’m trying to be _happy_ ,” Guerin said lowly. “For once in my goddamn life I am trying to not be miserable. Alex-” he clenched his jaw. “Alex has a habit of doing that so yeah, I asked him to leave me alone. And that’s all I asked. What he does after that is up to him. He’s a big boy, he can make his own choices.”

Kyle wanted to scoff but didn’t. “We can lock Jesse Manes up,” he told him. Guerin stiffened. “We have video of him using an alien to execute my father. Combined with the files and footage from Caulfield, there is enough evidence to get him court-martialed and sent to prison for a very long time.”

“So why don’t you?” Guerin hissed.

“Because doing so would force Alex to reveal _all_ of the Project Shepherd files. Including the ones on you,” Kyle told him. “And Alex won’t do that.” He shook his head. “Jesse knows it, too. He’s using you to keep Alex in check.”

Guerin shook his head. “That’s crap. If Alex had the means to take down his father, he’d do it.”

Kyle’s lips quirked sadly. “Not if it means hurting you. He loves you, Guerin. I don’t know why but he does. It’s pretty obvious if you look for more than five seconds, honestly.” Guerin glared at him. “So maybe try to be considerate of that? You’re putting him through a lot. Just-” he shrugged. “Try not to be an asshole? Are you capable of that?” 

He should’ve expected the shove. 

“Fuck off, Valenti,” Guerin ground out. “And stay out of my business.”

Kyle pulled himself off of the ground and left without a word, kindly not pointing out that Guerin was clutching Alex’s folder to his chest like it was a lifeline.


	10. 2x02 Interlude (Malex)

Michael swallowed the sudden lump in his throat when Alex got out of the car. In his uniform.

Michael had complicated feelings about the uniform (don’t ask him about Alex’s dress uniform, those feelings are distinctly uncomplicated). For one, Michael had never considered himself as having a uniform kink until the first time Alex had shown up on leave without changing. For another, it was a clear reminder of what Alex was putting himself through because of his family’s entanglement with Michael’s. 

“What?” Alex asked, his lips twitching. He knew Michael’s opinion on the uniform, he’d heard it more than once.

“The uniform,” Michael replied lamely. “Just never got used to it,” he lied blatantly. Alex smirked and Michael got them back on track before those lips could change his mind.

“What’re you doing here?” Alex asked, coming closer.

Michael sighed. “I know I said to leave it alone but I can’t stop thinking about my mom. The photo you showed me, her intake file.“ He shrugged. “Maybe If I knew more I would stop wondering about it and be able to focus on my work.”

Alex smiled slightly. “Well there is something I’ve been really wanting to tell you about her file. The aliens were referred to by specimen number. But your mother…her name was Nora Truman.”

“Nora,” Michael breathed. 

“Guerin, she wasn’t admitted to Caulfield until October 14, 1948 . She was the last one.”

“That’s-”

“-over a year after the crash, I know.” Alex smiled. “She may have been in Roswell the entire time. There could be people that are still alive who knew her.”

Michael couldn’t do it. It was partly that it was Alex but it was mostly that uniform. The uniform that every guard at Caulfield wore. Some of them even baring the same name emblazoned on Alex’s chest. 

“No.” Alex blinked at him in surprise. “I don’t uh think we should be working together.”

“It’s just work,” Alex offered.

And Michael couldn’t take it, the easy kindness in the offer, the hidden price tag he knew had to be lurking behind it, so Michael lashed out with the best weapon he could: Maria. It wasn’t even a lie. He did like Maria. And he wanted Maria to like him. Spending time with Alex was pointless when it only caused them both pain. Michael wanted more than that, he wanted better than that.

He didn’t want to have to see the look on Alex’s face. When he’d said Maria’s name it was like he’d slapped Alex across the face. Part of Michael felt a little bit gleeful at it but most of him regretted it. It didn’t stop him from continuing though. And it didn’t hide the clench in his stomach at Alex’s watery eyes before he blinked them away.

“I get it,” Alex said with a fake smile. “You know, honestly, if I could choose to be with Maria DeLuca, I would too.” Alex paused, that stupid smile still on his face like it could fool Michael. Michael couldn’t see past it but he knew the veneer was just that. “She’s amazing. And if you two make each other happy, then by all means.” His smile fell. “But that doesn’t change anything.”

“Nothing’s going to happen between us, Alex,” Michael huffed.

“So what?” Alex shrugged. “You’re still my family,” Michael looked away, “and even if I’m not yours, I’m not going anywhere.” He looked down and then back up, still not quite meeting Michael’s eyes. “I’m going to find out everything I can about your mom. And the next time you need me, I’ll be there for that too. Whether we’re together or not, we’re still family,” he repeated. “So get used to it.”

Michael didn’t know what to say. Thankfully, Alex didn’t seem to be waiting for a response. 

He turned around and walked back to his car and quickly pulled into the parking space next to Michael’s truck. Michael heard him stumble a little bit when he stepped out and closed his eyes at the sound. He knew Alex always backed into the spot his truck was currently in so he had an even surface to get in and out on and because it wasn’t the shortest distance to the front door. He’d known that and parked there on purpose.

“You want a drink?” Alex offered as he walked around the back of the car. Michael shook his head. “Dinner? Did you eat?” Michael shook his head. They stood still, not quite looking at each other, unsure what to say. Michael put his hat back on and turned towards his driver’s side door. “Guerin?” He stopped but didn’t turn around. “Next time just wait inside. You have a key, might as well use it.” He laid a hand on the edge of the truck. “Drive safe.”

“Alex,” Michael called once he’d rounded the corner of the house. Alex came back. “The uniform…” 

Alex looked down at it like he was surprised he still had it on. “What about it?”

Michael opened his mouth but the words didn’t come. He wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted to say, anyway. As much as he’d always secretly loved the sight of Alex in camo he looked startlingly like his father. “You look-” he couldn’t get the words out. It was too cheap a shot even for him right now.

Alex’s face darkened like he heard it anyway. “Yeah, well,” he shrugged. “Comes with the job. And someone’s gotta do it.” This time Michael didn’t stop him when he left. 


	11. Mostly Gen (Maria POV, ft Alex's House)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr as "not a guest"

“I still don’t understand why you insisted on bringing this stuff,” Michael huffed as he climbed out of her truck, a cheese spread in his hands. Maria slid out the other side with the two bottles of wine.

“Because it’s what you do when someone invites you to their house,” Maria explained for the third time. “Alex invited us over so as the guests, we need to contribute something.”

“Yeah but it’s Alex,” Michael said, genuine confusion in his voice.

Maria eyed the unknown car in the driveway. “This is the right address, right?” She tried to pull out her phone to double check the text Alex had sent her but her hands were too full. Michael shot her an odd look.

“Yeah?” He didn’t hesitate as he crossed the surprisingly nice patio to the front door.

“Hey, wait,” Maria cautioned. Michael paused. “Look, just, be cool, okay? I think it’s kind of a big deal for Alex to invite us all over right now and I don’t want to make it awkward.”

Michael furrowed his brow. “Why would it be awkward?”

“Because of us?” Maria arched her eyebrow. “Alex has been acting a little weird ever since we started dating.”

“Alex doesn’t care,” Michael replied. Maria shot him a look clearly stating she thought he was an idiot. “I told you, I talked to him before I moved the Airstream to the Pony and he really didn’t care.” 

“Still,” Maria stopped him as he turned back towards the door. Whatever Michael may say, Alex had carefully avoided being alone with her ever since. He acted normal when they were together in a group setting, smiling and laughing like nothing had changed, but she knew something was wrong between them and at the root of it was Michael. “This is home and this is the first time he’s invited anyone over,” Michael got a weird look on his face, “so let’s just make sure this is as pleasant an evening as possible, okay?”

“Hey,” Liz called as she and Rosa rounded the corner. “This is Alex’s place?” She looked around. “It looks great.”

“Yeah,” Maria agreed. “Not sure why but it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.”

“Are we going in or we just stand out here all night?” Rosa asked.

Maria turned and gestured for Michael to knock but he just twisted the doorknob and walked right in. “Michael,” she hissed. “You’re supposed to knock.”

He looked over his shoulder, the strange look still on his face. “It’s Alex’s place.” Like that excused him being rude.

“Is that wine?” Isobel asked. Maria hadn’t even seen her when she walked in but the four of them turned to see her perched on the edge of a chair. When Maria nodded she bounced upright and grabbed for the bottle, her hand opening and closing on nothing. Maria sighed and handed it over. 

“You’ll have to find a bottle open-” Maria blinked when one appeared next to Isobel, clutched in Michael’s outstretched hand. Behind him, Maria saw an open drawer. Isobel took it without a word of thanks and Michael turned back to the kitchen. He nudged the drawer closed with his hip and opened the refrigerator to put the cheese tray in. Maria caught a glimpse of a very full fridge before Michael started absently reorganizing it to make the tray fit. When it did, he pulled a bottle of beer out of the bottom drawer Maria hadn’t noticed and kneed the door closed while he pulled a magnetic opener off the side and popped the top off. The magnet went back on the fridge and the top went in the trash can without him having to look for it. 

“Do you know where the glasses are?” Isobel asked, holding the now open bottle in the air. Michael nodded at a cabinet as he made a beeline for an old loveseat in the corner of the living room. Sure enough, when Isobel opened the cabinet he indicated, there was a full shelf of wine glasses.

“So,” Rosa murmured quietly. “Guerin’s been here before.” It wasn’t a question. Michael had an easy way of moving about the place and a clear knowledge of where things were that was undeniably born of a lot of time spent here.

Liz looked over at Maria with a look of surprise that Maria knew mirrored her own. Neither one of them had even known Alex’s address before tonight let alone been here. Yet Michael looked right at home.

“Hey,” Alex’s voice greeted warmly as the back door opened and shut. He had an empty platter in his hands. “You guys made it.” He put the platter in the sink and turned towards them. “Do you want anything to drink?”

Isobel held up her full wine glass and handed another to Maria. “We helped ourselves.” 

Alex smiled. “Good.” He waved a hand around. “Make yourselves at home. Kyle’s out back fussing with the grill.” He rolled his eyes to indicate his faith in Kyle’s grilling ability. 

In the other room, Michael pushed himself to his feet, his beer already half empty. “It working?” He asked as he entered the kitchen. Alex shrugged and Michael rolled his eyes. He left the beer on the table and grabbed something from under one of the cabinets before disappearing out the back door. Maria watched Alex watch him leave with a strange look in his eyes. It was almost fond but also pained. 

“For the record,” Rosa said suddenly. “I’m putting a moratorium on any talk related to aliens tonight, okay? We can and will find other things to talk about.”

Everyone smiled though Isobel hid it with an eye roll. “Sounds good,” Alex agreed. 

They managed to stick to that for most of the night, a feat Maria was suitably impressed with considering it felt like every conversation she had with any of them lately revolved around aliens. The light hearted talk let her mind wander, though, so Maria almost missed the more serious conversation. As the night went on it was clearer and clearer that Michael had spent a good amount of time in Alex’s home. He knew where things were without having to be asked, he was comfortable moving things around to suit their needs, and he made no effort to hide the fact that he had a favorite seat. Every time he did something to indicate his comfort, Alex got that look again. 

It was strange, Maria thought. Because Michael genuinely seemed to think that Alex didn’t care that they were dating. He seemed to buy into Alex’s smiles and affable behavior and believed that it was the truth. He couldn’t seem to see what Maria could; the tensing of Alex’s shoulders every time Michael touched her, the slight purse of his lips when Michael let out a seemingly inane comment that nonetheless appeared to hit home with Alex, or the fondness in his eyes when Michael truly let himself appear at home. Maria was more sure than ever that she hadn’t gotten the full story about the two of them but Michael wasn’t telling and Alex wouldn’t talk to her so she was left trying to put the pieces together. Right now, she didn’t know what the larger picture was. 

“How long has Alex lived here?” Maria asked when they were back in her truck, ready to leave. She’d turned the car on but hadn’t moved. 

Michael looked like he was thinking about it. “A couple of years. He bought it on one of his first trips home I think. Didn’t want to have to go back to his dad’s so he got his own place. It looked like crap when he bought it but he’s been fixing it up whenever he’s in town.” He looked out the window like he was seeing it for the first time. “It looks good.”

“Yeah,” Maria murmured, filing away the revelation that Michael and Alex had stayed in touch and clearly been together when Alex was home on leave. “It does.”

Michael tangled their fingers together. “Home?” He asked. They weren’t living together yet but the Airstream’s close proximity to her new housing situation at the Pony had led to little comments like this. Maria couldn’t deny the warmth in her chest every time he said the word. She felt it now, though it was a little dimmed. As much time as Michael had been spending with her lately, he wasn’t nearly at ease in her apartment as he was in Alex’s home. “Maria?” He asked worriedly. “Everything okay?”

She shook her head to clear and forced a small smile on her face to reassure him. “Yeah, sorry. Just a little tire.” She put the car in drive. “Let’s go home.”

She didn’t look over to see if Michael gave the house any lingering looks. She didn’t think she wanted to know if he did.


	12. Malex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: all I can think about is that alex has lights up around his house and in his massive tree. Like how on earth did he do that? If you're bored I would love it if you wrote a fic where Alex gets back from tour to find them in his trees and turns out Michael did it? pretty please with malex on top.

Alex almost called Maria to pick him up. He even thought about calling Michael but he knew the truck wouldn’t make it all the way out to the airport. Ultimately, it was the fact that he hadn’t bothered to tell either one that he’d come home that forced him to the car rental kiosk. 

During the two hour drive back to Roswell, Alex mentally calculated everything he needed for his leave. He would be home for just under three weeks before reporting to his new base and he was in no way shape or form prepared to spend more than a few nights at his house. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever spent that much time at the house, frankly. Alex had purchased the place so he wouldn’t have to rely on Maria or anyone else, or god forbid his father, when he was in town. But he was only there _maybe_ once a year, if that, and usually only for a few days. If he ever spent his money on anything else he’d consider it a waste but as it was he lived frugally and so the house stayed in his possession.

It was late when he hit the town limits and Alex had had a long day before he even got to the airport. It was the only reason he could think of for forgetting to stop and get groceries. Alex strongly considered turning around and finding a store that was still open to at least stock up on the groceries when a string of lights caught his eye. 

There was a tree at the end of the street that was lit up with Christmas lights even though it was August. Beyond that, he could see a string of fairy lights outlining a decent sized patio. It looked great.

It also looked like it was Alex’s address (he hesitated to call it his house).

Alex slowly parked the car in front of the house. He stared dumbly up at the lights, craning his neck to see the lit patio. After blinking a few times and finding the lights still there he cut the engine and got out of the car. He grabbed his bag from the trunk and locked the car, absently.

It wasn’t just the lights. The whole house looked nice. It wasn’t great but it definitely didn’t look like the place was abandoned 99% of the year. Alex looked over his shoulder at the mailbox to make sure this was the right house. The number was right and the key fit in the lock so he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Just like the exterior, the inside was cleaned up. Again, not great, but it was free from the dust buildup that usually greeted him when he walked in. 

Alex dropped his bag in the hallway leading to the bedroom and checked the kitchen and living room for any clues as to what had happened. “Hello?” He called out, just to be safe. Silence was his only answer.

He stopped short when he saw the fridge.

_welcome home hero_

_try not to starve_

There was an arrow underneath pointing at the door handle and Alex pulled it open. Inside was a to go box from the Crashdown, a receipt stapled to the front of the bag showing it was Alex’s usual order and it had been purchased just after dinner time. 

Alex had his phone in his hand before he made the decision to pull it out.

“I didn’t tell you I was coming home,” he greeted when the line connected.

“I know. I was very hurt by that too,” Michael returned. He didn’t sound hurt.

Alex pulled the bag out and placed it on the counter before turning in a slow circle, taking in his clean house. “Why?”

“Which part?”

“All of it.” Alex couldn’t quite believe Michael had gotten his house ready for him. But then, there was really no one else it could’ve been. Not even Maria knew about the house, he didn’t think.

He heard a rustle of clothing as Michael shrugged. “The place always looks like crap when you’re there.”

“Thanks,” Alex huffed, even though he knew it was true. There was a woman’s voice on the other end of the phone, indistinct. “You busy?”

A metal door clanged shut. “Not anymore.” Alex couldn’t help but smile slightly. “Welcome home, Alex.”

It’s not home, Alex almost said. But that wasn’t strictly true. “Thank you,” he replied sincerely. They didn’t say anything for a while. “I like the lights.”

Michael huffed a slight laugh. “Me too.”


	13. 2x03 Interlude (Alex + Maria)

The Pony was quiet, suspiciously so, when Alex pulled up. It was a weeknight but usually even then there were a few customers around, multiple cars in the parking lot. Tonight it was only Maria’s red Chevy. 

The silver Airstream he’d come here to see was also nowhere to be found.

Alex stopped the car and peered around but didn’t get out. He’d just pulled out his phone to check the camera feed he’d set up around the perimeter when the front door burst open and Maria hurried out. She looked upset, like she’d been crying recently. Alex put the car in park and got out without bothering to turn it off. 

“Maria?” He called. She was halfway to her car. Hadn’t even spared him a glance. Now she froze and turned slowly. “What’s wrong?” He didn’t bother asking if she was okay. She clearly wasn’t. “Is Mimi okay?”

Maria stared at him before taking a deep, shuddering breath. “She’s fine. She doesn’t remember anything but…” but that wasn’t unusual, she didn’t say. “I’m heading back to the hospital now.”

Alex nodded slowly. “Do you want me to come with you?” He’d stopped by earlier after talking to Jenna and finding out Mimi was okay but he could easily go again. Michael could wait. 

“I-” she started to answer. Maria stuttered over the words for a moment, clearly trying to figure out what she wanted to say before visibly steeling herself. “Did you know too?”

Alex blinked in surprise. “About Mimi?”

“About Guerin,” Maria replied. Alex froze. “And Max Evans. And Isobel Evans. And Ro-” she stopped, the name caught in her throat.

Alex let out a breath. “He told you.” It wasn’t a question.

Maria glared at him, hurt radiating from her body. “No. Rosa broke into my bar and was stealing alcohol.” Alex cursed under his breath. “You _knew_. You knew and didn’t tell me?” She shook her head. Taking a step back, she wrapped her arms around her waist. “Guerin told you,” _and not me_.

Alex shook his head. “Guerin didn’t tell me. My family’s been spearheading the military operation to capture and kill them since 1947.” Maria froze, her eyes wide in shock. “And I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t my business to tell. It was theirs. Even Rosa wasn’t my business.”

“I just can’t understand how my friends, how the people I’m supposed to trust, would leave me exposed like that. Noah Bracken used _my_ bar to find his victims. He drugged me and hijacked my body. My _mom-”_

“There’s no evidence that your mom’s disappearance has anything to do with any of this,” Alex assured her.

Maria scoffed. “You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do.” Maria shook her head. “Maria, look around.” When Maria only stared at him Alex pointed up at the edge of the roof. “There, and there, and two more on the other side.” He’d put up cameras after the second time Mimi broke out of the nursing home. “I’d never leave you or your mom at risk. Just because it wasn’t my place to go spilling other people’s very personal secrets doesn’t mean I would let you be in danger. You’ve been as safe as I can make you without telling you.”

There was a pause as Maria digested this. “I thought I was losing my mind. I thought I was becoming like my mom,” she whispered. “I was seeing things that didn’t make sense and I-”

Alex closed the distance and reached for her. He hesitated, just shy of touching her and waited.After a breath, Maria took the step necessary for Alex’s arms to close around her. She clutched at his back, the material of his uniform bunching under her fists. Alex didn’t waste his breath on platitudes. Maria didn’t need or want them. And Alex wasn’t going to apologize for not telling her. As he’d said, it wasn’t his place.

He gave her a few minutes to compose herself before pulling away. “Your mom’s probably waiting for you,” he said gently. “I don’t want to keep you.”

Maria nodded. “I should go,” she agreed. “Thanks for stopping by.”

Alex didn’t bother correcting her as to why exactly he’d stopped by. “Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”

“Thanks, but I think I just need some space,” she sounded faintly apologetic. But only faintly. 

“Fair enough.” He stepped back and watched as she got in her car and took off in the direction of the hospital.

Alex spared one more look around the empty parking lot before sliding behind the wheel of his own car and driving to the junkyard. 


	14. 2x03 Coda (Malex)

Alex couldn’t deny the way his heart had jumped into his throat when Michael said no, they weren’t done. Or the way it plummeted a moment later when Michael showed him the newspaper clipping. He wasn’t sure why he was surprised. After all, Alex was the one who made the entire current state of their relationship revolve around Michael’s mom. 

“I’ll see what I can find out,” he promised Michael. When Michael didn’t say anything, Alex felt the unspoken dismissal hang in the air between them. “I’ll let you know what I find.” He didn’t wait for Michael to say anything else before turning back to his car.

“Alex,” Michael called. Alex paused and half turned back around. Michael was staring at the ground, his hat in one hand while he ran the other through his hair. Alex tried not to stare but it was hard. He’d gotten used to the scarring. To see it now gone was disorienting. It was like it had never happened. Like that day had never happened even as the echoes of Michael screams filled his ears. “Alex?” Alex blinked and Michael was two steps closer, his eyes wary like he’d said Alex’s name a few times.

“Yeah?” He cleared his throat. “Was there something else?”

Michael looked at him strangely. “You said you spent the day with your dad.”

“Yes,” Alex agreed slowly. “He’s the best source of information we have until I can crack through the rest of the files.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” 

Alex looked at him curiously. “He’s the best source we have,” he repeated. “Nobody knows more about Project Shepherd than him.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Michael huffed. He shook his head, clearly frustrated that Alex wasn’t understanding him. Alex could sympathize, it was how he usually felt every time they talked too. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for _you_ to talk to your dad?”

Alex bristled, feeling the sting of Michael’s words like a slap. “I can handle my father.” 

“I’m not saying you can’t,” Michael sighed. Alex disagreed. “Just- you shouldn’t have to.”

“I can handle him,” Alex repeated. “I’m not 17 anymore.”

Michael shook his head again, the frustration still clear on his face. “You shouldn’t have to go anywhere near him, Alex.”

“Then how do you suggest I get the answers we’re looking for?” Alex cocked his head. “Because they’re either in those files or in his head.”

“So we wait for you to decrypt the files.”

“Do you know how long that will take? Because I don’t,” Alex admitted. “It’s been two months and I’m barely making a dent.”

Michael seemed to war with himself. “I found the old newspaper,” he gestured at the folder in Alex’s hand, now containing one old newspaper clipping. “We can find other things.”

Alex didn’t understand. “Do you want answers or not?” He asked simply. “Are you expecting this to just be another puzzle for you to solve or do you actually want answers?”

Michael clenched his jaw. “I want answers. You know I do.”

“Right,” Alex agreed because he did know. “So I don’t understand what the problem is.”

Michael sighed and put his hat back on. “You shouldn’t have to be around your dad, Alex.”

“Well that’s not your call, Guerin,” Alex told him quietly. “But don’t worry. I can handle him. Like I said, I’m not 17 anymore. He can’t do anything.” 

Privately, Alex admitted that there was probably a lot his dad could do. But Michael didn’t need to know that. 

When Michael didn’t say anything, Alex nodded and got into his car. Michael didn’t move as he pulled away and Alex didn’t take his eyes off of him until he absolutely had to.


	15. 2x03 Coda #2 (Alex + Jenna)

There was someone in his chair.

A very blonde someone, Alex noted a second later and his shoulders relaxed. “Welcome back,” he greeted. 

Jenna tilted her head in his direction but didn’t actually look at him, her attention fixed on the monitor in front of her. “Why are you still out here when you set up that lab for everyone on the opposite side of town?”

“Everything’s already here.” Alex took his hat off and dropped in on the table. There was a coffee cup on the edge and when he picked it up it was both full and warm. “No point in moving it to a smaller space.”

Jenna hummed like she didn’t quite believe him. Alex wouldn’t trust her if she had. “So you weren’t kidding when you said things were happening in Roswell.”

“I know we don’t know each other all that well but I’m not much for joking about something like this.” He sipped the coffee. He was surprisingly unsurprised to find it exactly how he liked it. 

Jenna finally looked up at him. “So what’s the word on Charlie?”

“My dad definitely didn’t have a hand in anything directly since he’s been confined to the hospital for six weeks but he’s been in regular contact with my brother-”

“You couldn’t stop that?”

Alex looked at her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t find a legal way to prohibit my brother from having contact with my bed ridden father without also legally barring myself?”

Jenna shrugged. “Fair enough.”

“Anyway,” Alex continued, “I’ve been tracking Flint’s movements and also my brother Gregory since he and Flint have talked on the phone a few times recently.”

“Phone calls are suspicious?”

“Flint would rather gouge out his ear than talk on the phone,” Alex explained. “Which means he’s not doing it willingly which means-”

“Which means its work.”

“Exactly. So I’ve been tracking both of them and so far I haven’t anything concrete but Gregory’s got an ex whose brother works at the prison in Iowa where Charlie was incarcerated.”

Jenna showed no reaction. “Does anyone in your family not suck?”

“Besides me?” Alex shook his head. “Best to steer clear of any other Manes’.”

“Noted.” She turned to the screen. “So where could the brother’s ex’s brother have taken my sister?”

Alex sat down next to her and quickly opened another file. “Here are the likely possibilities…”


	16. 2x04 Coda (Malex)

Michael waited an hour or so after Alex left before he tossed the missing piece of his console onto his passenger seat and took off across town. Alex’s car was in his driveway when Michael pulled up. The man himself was standing in the doorway by the time Michael turned the ignition off.

“What do you want, Guerin?” Alex leaned against the door frame heavily. He had a white knuckle grip on his crutch. Michael held up the console fragment in answer. Alex looked at it then at him, confusion evident in his eyes. “What?”

Michael waited until he was standing in front of Alex to hold it out to him. “Take it back.”

“It’s yours. And I’m not going to keep it from you,” Alex said sternly. 

Michael took another step and pressed the piece into Alex’s chest. Alex grabbed his wrist as he the force rocked him back on his heels. “Take it back.”

“Guerin-”

“Keep me here,” Michael cut him off. 

“I can’t,” Alex confessed quietly. “I’m a Manes. I can’t-”

“No,” Michael shook his head. “You might be a Manes but you are not one of them. You’re _not_ , Alex.” 

“Guer-”

“ _Take it_ ,” Michael urged. He looked up at Alex’s watery eyes and had to blink away a few tears of his own. “If you have it, I don’t. And if I don’t have it, then I can’t leave.” Alex opened his mouth. “You’re not standing in my way, Alex. Or, if you are, it’s because I’m asking you to.” He closed his eyes. “It’s because I want you to.”

Alex didn’t say anything. The silence dragged on until Michael opened his eyes and met Alex’s gaze. “I’ll make you a deal,” Alex said. Michael raised an eyebrow. “If I’m going to keep you here, you need to want to be here. You’ve always wanted to leave, Guerin, you said it yourself. You spent over a decade building a console to a ship that would take you away. So if I’m going to hold on to this, you need to find something that makes you want to stay. So that one day I don’t need this to keep you here.”

“I don’t know if I can do that, Alex.”

Alex used his grip on Michael’s wrist to press the piece back into Michael’s chest. “Then you keep it. Me holding onto it cannot be the only thing keeping you here.” Alex shook his head and shrugged a little helplessly. “No matter what you say, I am a Manes. And I can’t be the thing standing in your way.”

Michael looked away, Alex’s gaze suddenly unbearable. He looked over his shoulder into the shadowed living room behind him. Michael could just make out the shape of a keyboard and next to it…

“I’ll trade you,” he said suddenly. Alex quirked his head. “You keep the piece. And I take your guitar.”

Alex turned and looked over his shoulder. “My guitar is going to keep you here?”

Michael shrugged. “Gotta start somewhere right?”

Alex searched his face before slowly nodding. “Okay. I’ll keep the piece,” Michael pressed it into his hand immediately and Alex huffed a small laugh. He stepped back. “And you take the guitar.”


	17. 2x04 Coda #2 (Isobel + Liz)

Isobel darted out the back door and Liz made a quick excuse to her father and Rosa before hurrying after her. “Isobel!” 

Isobel turned. “What’s wrong? It worked, right?”

Liz smiled breathlessly. “It did. _Thank you.”_ She reached out and pulled Isobel into a hug. Isobel flailed a little before slowly hugging her back.

“I owed you one,” Isobel replied weakly after pulling away.

“You didn’t but thank you.”

“You’re helping Max-”

“Max died resurrecting my sister,” Liz cut her off. “And I miss him like crazy and I really want him back. It’s purely selfish I promise you, you don’t need to pay me back for that at all.”

Isobel cleared her throat. “A few weeks ago…”

“No,” Liz said firmly. “Do not ever think that was a favor that needs to be owed. It wasn’t. I’m glad I could help and I’m glad I could be there for you and you do _not_ need to even the scales for that.”

“If it weren’t for me, Rosa wouldn’t have died.”

“That was Noah and you know it. You didn’t do anything to Rosa, Isobel.” Liz glanced over her shoulder. “Except give her her father back.” She turned back to Isobel. “Now I feel like I owe you one.”

Isobel paused and considered it briefly. “How about we don’t do that? Why don’t we just be friends? Friends do things like this for each other, right?”

Liz laughed and nodded. “Yeah, they do.”

“Okay then,” Isobel nodded seriously. “We’re friends.” She rolled her eyes. “Max is gonna be happy when we get him back.”

“Screw Max,” Liz replied lightly. “We don’t need him to be friends. We’ve got that covered.” She hugged Isobel again. Isobel responded quicker this time.

“Go,” Isobel urged, shoving Liz’s shoulders a little. “Spend time with your family.”


	18. 2x04 Coda #3 (Kyle + Alex, Kyliz & Malex ref)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> also references Echo

“What happened?” Alex asked as he propped Kyle up on the side of the car so he could get the passenger door open. Behind him, the Open sign of the Saturn’s Rings shut off.

“Nothing,” Kyle mumbled. Alex rolled his eyes and shoved Kyle into the car. He made sure all extremities were accounted for before slamming the door.

“Right,” he drawled as he started the car. “You decided to get black out drunk at the tourist bar on a Wednesday night because nothing happened.”

“I lied to my mom.” Kyle’s head flopped to the side and he peered at Alex through slitted eyes. “It’s her birthday and she wanted to talk about what was on her mind and I just- I _lied_ to her. Straight to her face. Basically told her she was crazy and paranoid for thinking there was more to Noah than a lightning strike.” Kyle laughed. Or tried to, at least. It turned to hiccups real fast and then he clamped a hand over his mouth.

“If you throw up in my car, I’m making you clean it out tomorrow,” Alex warned. 

Kyle closed his eyes and moved his head side to side very slightly. The green tinge of his face faded after a moment. “Liz kissed me today. As a-” he made that horrible laughing sound again, without the threat of vomit this time. “As a trick. She didn’t think anything of it, she said. Like it was no big deal.”

Alex stopped at the red light and closed his eyes. “You still love her.” 

Kyle peered up at him. He was slowly falling horizontal. “You still love Guerin,” he accused.

“Yeah,” Alex sighed. There wasn’t much he could do about that.

“Why don’t I get the girl? What did I do wrong that I don’t get to be with her?” Kyle’s head hit Alex’s shoulder and Alex double checked that he had in fact buckled Kyle in. The seatbelt was stretched to the max but it was locked in around him. “What does Evans have that I don’t? Is it the alien thing?” Kyle tried to look up at Alex. “Are the aliens better at sex?”

“Okay,” Alex answered. He stopped at a stop sign and pushed Kyle back into his seat, His head flopped to the other side and hit the window with a thud. They were only a few blocks away from Kyle’s house but Alex had only been there once before so he tuned Kyle out in favor of making sure he didn’t end up at the wrong place.

“I get why Maria’s pissed,” Kyle mumbled when Alex helped him out of the car. “She’s lucky. She gets to know _and_ have space. I want space.” Alex fished the keys out of his pocket and opened the door. “Why am I helping to resurrect my ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend? Who _does_ that?”

Alex dropped him onto the couch, his leg giving out before he could get to the bedroom. Kyle didn’t seem to notice. “You’re a good guy, Kyle. That’s why.” He figured Kyle wouldn’t remember this in the morning but he couldn’t not answer.

“What if I don’t want to be the good guy?” Kyle buried his face in a pillow.

“I don’t think you have a choice,” Alex answered honestly. “You tried being an asshole, remember? It didn’t take.” He used the wall to get into the kitchen and grab a glass of water and the bottle of tylenol and limped back into the living room to drop it at Kyle’s side. “Go to sleep.”

He was halfway to the door when Kyle spoke up. “You ever going to get over Guerin?” Alex froze. “Because I don’t know if I’m going to get over Liz. It’s been ten years. Still love her. Hasn’t changed,” his voice got quieter and quieter until Alex couldn’t hear him anymore. A moment later, Alex heard a quiet snore.

He double checked that the keys were on the hook and locked the door behind him on the way out.


	19. 2x05 Interlude (Michael + Alex)

Alex waited for the door to close behind him before he pulled his phone out. He wasn’t privy to most of the interpersonal drama happening with the people in that room and he was going to leave well enough alone. The least he could do was insure they had the privacy they needed for the operation.

Well, that and make a phone call.

The first call rang and rang. The second went straight to voicemail. The third was picked up.

“What, Alex?” Michael barked down the phone in lieu of a ‘hello’.

“Where are you?”

“I’m in the car. What’s so urgent you have to call me three damn times?”

“Liz and Kyle are about to start the procedure. Where the hell are you?” He asked again.

Michael sighed. “I’m on my way. Have they started yet?”

Alex looked over his shoulder and peered through the window in the door. “They’re about to pull him out of the pod.” There was a loud screech of tires on the other end of the phone followed by mild cursing. 

“I’m outside. Where are you?”

Alex gave him directions to the surgery department then went to the doors he’d just had locked. He stayed on the phone with Michael until he saw him racing down the hallway opposite him. Quickly, he unlocked and opened the doors. “You okay?” He asked, catching the frantic look on his face.

Michael beamed. “I made a pacemaker.” He laughed once then raced past Alex down the hall. Alex closed the door and made sure it was locked before following. 

By the time he made it back to the operating room, something had gone wrong. Rosa stood over Max’s body, Liz and Kyle frozen on either side of her in surprise. Michael was hunched on the floor, his hands tearing at his hair. 

The steady beep of a solid pulse echoed in the silent chamber when he pushed the door open. Isobel burst through the doors behind him a second later. 

“Max!” She rushed over to him. Her appearance jolted everyone else into motion and suddenly Liz and Kyle were closing his chest up, Isobel was hunched over Max’s head trying desperately to get through to him. Rosa fell to the floor staring at her hands.

And Michael didn’t move. 

Alex ignored the others and went to him. He reached out a hand but froze just shy of touching him. “Guerin?” He crouched down. Michael didn’t look at him, his eyes fixed over his shoulder. Alex followed his gaze to the monitor displaying Max’s heart rate. Now, he touched his shoulder. “Hey,” he said softly. “Looks like it worked.” Michael turned to look at him slowly. “The pacemaker worked?” Alex said again.

“Yeah,” Michael sighed in relief. He looked back at the monitor. “It worked.”


	20. 2x05 Interlude #2 (Alex + Maria)

“Hey,” Alex answered the phone. He closed the door behind him gently, cutting himself off from everyone fixing up Max’s bedroom into a functioning hospice room.

“Hey,” Maria replied. “How’s…everything?”

Alex glanced over his shoulder at the closed door. “Do you want to know?”

Maria sighed. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t. I’m mad, I’m not heartless. You ran out of here like something was really wrong and then I couldn’t get a hold of anyone. I just want to make sure everyone’s okay.”

“Everyone’s okay,” Alex promised. “Max’s pod died and they needed to perform emergency surgery if they wanted any chance of saving his life. Michael built a pacemaker and he’s actually doing okay. For now.”

“What does that mean?”

Alex sighed. “It means, Max is home. He’s out of the pod and his heart is semi-functional right now. Kyle is keeping him in a medically induced coma for as long as possible to try and let his heart repair itself and let the rest of his body heal.”

There was a pause. “How’s Liz holding up?”

“…you could come see for yourself,” Alex reminded her. Maria didn’t reply. “She’s…dealing. He’s better than he was but she had to prepare herself to say goodbye so I think she’s dealing with a little emotional whiplash right about now. In the last 24 hours she went from hoping they could save him in a few months to having to accept that he was going to die today to having him at home in his bed. It’s a lot.”

Maria made a noncommittal noise. “I’m still…”

“I know,” Alex told her. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. “But it’s Liz.”

“Max’s house?”

“You need the address?”

“Please.”


	21. 2x05 Coda (Malex)

Michael wasn’t sure how he ended up out here. It had been literal years since the last time he was here. Almost 11 of them, to be exact.

It was a good spot. Close to town but not so close that someone might pass by. There was a large tree which offered convenient shade during the middle of the afternoon. And the best part was…no one else knew about it.

Well, almost no one.

There was a car already parked in his spot when he pulled up. Michael didn’t need to look to see who it was.

He cut the engine and sat for a moment in the quiet cab. The world outside was silent but the truck felt safer for the moment. Michael fingered the bottle of acetone next to him on the seat before sliding out of the truck. The bottle stayed where it was.

“So what’s a guy like you doing in a place like this?” He spoke softly, barely above a whisper. In the silence of the nighttime desert, he didn’t need to speak any louder.

“I could ask you the same thing.” Alex’s voice was soft. If Michael didn’t know any better, he’d say he was laying there with his eyes closed, trying vainly to block out the world around him.

Michael lumbered slowly over to Alex’s car. By virtue of having gotten there first, he’d parked his car in the exact spot Michael had always parked the truck. Alex was laying on his back on the hood. His eyes were closed. “Hard to stargaze if you don’t look at the stars,” Michael teased.

“Not here for the stars.”

Michael swallowed, unsure how to reply to that. “What are you here for?”

“Why are you here?” Alex asked instead of answering. “You’re never out here.”

“How would you know?”

“If you were, we would’ve run into each other sooner.” 

Michael tensed at the unspoken admission. The last time he’d come out here was the day after Alex left for the Air Force. He’d made sure to be in lockup on the day he left, unwilling to face Alex leaving and not saying goodbye, but he’d driven out here the moment he was released the next morning. 

“I needed to think,” he confessed. “Here’s as good a spot as any, right?”

“Right,” Alex agreed. He still hadn’t opened his eyes.

Michael kicked at the dirt a little, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He hadn’t planned for Alex to be here and he was at loose end’s as to what to do now that he was.

When the silence dragged on long enough to be awkward, Alex sat up with a heavy sigh. Slowly, gingerly, he got to his feet. “Good night, Guerin,” he said kindly. Michael didn’t say anything as he got in the car and turned it on.

Alex’s headlights flashed on and Michael put himself in front of the car before he could stop himself. The car shut off immediately, the door opening a second later. “Guerin?”

“Max was the only person who never left,” Michael blurted out. “He-” he cleared his throat. “No matter how much I pushed he never left.”

The door closed softly and Michael watched as Alex shuffled towards him, bracing himself lightly on the car. “He’s going to be okay, Michael.”

“I know,” Michael agreed. He barked out a single relieved laugh. “I know he is.” 

Alex looked like he was searching for the right words. Michael let him for a moment before continuing. “Max never left,” he repeated. “But neither did Isobel, not really. She had her moments, sure, but she has always been there for me.”

“They’re your family, Michael.” Alex’s voice was quiet but solid. “Of course they didn’t leave you.”

“You’re my family,” Michael said suddenly. Alex froze. “And you always came back.”

“Michael-”

“That summer-” Michael shrugged helplessly. “I was a mess. And I don’t know, I needed the rest of the world to see it too. So when you didn’t, when you kept treating me like I was something good and worthwhile, I did everything I could think of to push you away. To show you that I wasn’t worth it.”

“Michael-”

“You would’ve stayed in Roswell,” Michael cut him off. “You would’ve stayed and I couldn’t let you. I couldn’t be the reason you stayed in that house.”

“That’s not on you,” Alex said firmly. “You didn’t make me leave.”

“No,” Michael agreed. “But I made sure you didn’t have a reason to stay.”


	22. Michael + Alex, brief Miluca

Michael was deep in a conversation with Liz about the potential technology they could create from fragments of the pod and almost missed Alex’s exit entirely. As it was, it took a few moments for Alex’s farewell to sink into his brain.

“Wait,” he cut Liz off. His head perked up and he looked around their crowded table. “Where’s Alex?” 

Liz looked around in confusion. “He was just here. Maybe he went to the bathroom?” Kyle noticed them both looking and raised an eyebrow in question. “Where’d Alex go?” Liz asked.

“He went home,” Kyle replied, glancing over his shoulder at the front door. 

“Already?” Liz’s jaw dropped. “We haven’t even been here an hour! He’s bailing on Maria’s birthday?”

“It’s okay,” Maria replied, tuning into their conversation. “He’s been working like crazy lately and he’s exhausted. I told him to go home and get some sleep.”

“When did he leave?” Michael asked, ignoring the sinking feeling in his gut. “I needed to talk to him about something.”

Max looked at him strangely before replying. “Just a minute ago. If it’s urgent you might still be able to catch him in the parking lot.”

“Right,” Michael pushed to his feet. “I’ll be right back.” He dropped a kiss on Maria’s forehead and hurried out the door just in time to see Alex pulling himself up into his car. He moved slowly, like his leg was bothering him.

“Alex!” Alex froze, his body only half in the car. Michael jogged over to him.

“Guerin,” Alex greeted. “Something wrong?”

“Besides you dipping out of your best friend’s birthday party early?” Michael tried to tease. Alex just looked at him. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Alex replied immediately. “It’s been a long week and I’m just tired.” He jerked his chin at the Pony. “Go back inside. Have fun. The night is young.”

“Alex.” Michael waited until Alex looked at him. “Are you okay?” Because Alex looked awful. Michael believed he was tired, the exhaustion clear in every line of his body, but it was more than that.

“I’m fine,” Alex answered again. He held Michael’s gaze steadily. “I’m just really tired.”

“Bad week at work?” 

Alex shrugged. “Not bad. Just a lot.” Plus they’d spent two days chasing leads on his mother and he knew Alex and Kyle had been busy with Project Shepherd stuff at some point. Alex was pulling himself in at least three directions plus trying to make time to actually see his friends and it had to be wearing him down.

“You should slow down,” said Michael. “Stop trying to do so much.”

“I can handle it,” Alex brushed him off. “Did you need something?”

Michael wasn’t sure how to answer that. Because he did need something from Alex, something he couldn’t admit to even to himself. He wasn’t sure why he’d felt the need to come running out after him and he didn’t know how to explain himself now that he was asked. “It’s not like you to leave early,” he said a little helplessly. “Just wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything we should know about.”

Alex’s eyes hardened. “I’m fine, Guerin. Nothing’s going on except me going home to sleep.”

“You know you’re allowed to not be fine, right?” Michael couldn’t help himself. 

“Sure,” Alex didn’t quite scoff. 

Michael narrowed his eyes. “You are.”

Alex sighed and braced himself on the side of the car. Michael blinked and finally took in Alex’s positioning. He hadn’t gotten out of the car when Michael walked up so he was sitting sideways in the driver’s seat, one hand on the door frame and the other kneading his right leg carefully. “What do you even care?” Michael flinched, the words hitting him unexpectedly. The worst part of it might be that Alex didn’t even sound angry, just tired. 

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

Alex just looked at him, his head tilted sideways like Michael was a difficult puzzle he couldn’t quite work out. “I didn’t think it was a confusing question.”

“You look like shit, Alex.”

“Thanks, I think you look pretty great too,” Alex shot back, his voice thick with sarcasm. “Is my appearance bothering you? Because I will remind you that I’m trying to leave and you’re currently stopping me.” Michael wasn’t actually stopping him. 

“Alex, what’s going on with you?”

The hand that was braced on the door frame came up to his face, his fingers rubbing hard at his temple. “I’m _tired_ , Guerin,” he said for the fourth time. “I’m not sure why you picked right now to pretend to give a shit but I’d really like to go home and sleep.”

“I’m not pretending,” Michael said before he could truly process Alex’s words.

Alex scoffed. “Right.”

“Alex,” Michael took a step towards him. “I’m not-”

“Right,” Alex repeated. “Do you know since I got back to Roswell, you haven’t once asked about how I’m doing? Not once.” His lips twisted like he was trying to smile but couldn’t quite manage it. “I’m not sure why you picked right now to play pretend but I’m not in the mood.” He twisted so his legs were in the car and pulled the door shut. “Good night Guerin,” he said through the open window.

Michael heard the engine turn over and hurried the last few feet to the car. Before Alex could pull away, Michael stuck his hand in the open window and grabbed the steering wheel. Alex sighed with a bone deep weariness but didn’t fight him. 

Alex never fought him.

“What do you _want_?” Alex let his head fall back against the headrest. He didn’t look at Michael.

“What’s wrong with you?” Michael shot back.

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

Michael clenched his jaw. “And what happens when you’re not fine?”

Alex took a few slow, even breaths before lifting his head to look at him. For a moment, his face was unguarded. Michael had enough to time to read the exhaustion in his face, more than he usually saw, as well as a lot of sadness. “When I’m not fine…” he sighed. “When I’m not fine, I’m just tired.” 

Michael didn’t know how to reply to that so he let Alex unwrap his fingers from the steering wheel and press his hand back into his chest. Alex’s fingers lingered on his hand as he pulled away. 

“Good night, Guerin,” he said again before rolling up the window. Michael took a step back and let him drive away.

He stood staring after Alex’s truck long enough that he couldn’t even see the dirt flying up behind him anymore by the time Maria came out looking for him.

“Hey,” she grabbed his arm gently, turning him towards her. “What’s wrong?”

“Alex,” Michael replied honestly. “He’s not- he’s not okay.”

Maria sighed. “I know.”

Michael turned on her. “You _know_?”

“He’s been my best friend for 20 years,” she replied evenly. “I know when he’s going through something but he doesn’t want to talk about it and pushing him won’t do anything but make him clam up.” Her hand slid down into his and she squeezed lightly. “We just have to be there for him, okay? Just keep dragging his ass out to be with us and showing up when he doesn’t.” She smiled a little sadly. “He’s not okay now but he will be.”

Michael stared down at their joined hands and then back in the direction Alex had disappeared. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“He will be,” Maria said, conviction in her voice. 

“Maria-”

“Michael,” she cut him off. “He’s a damn good liar with a terrible track record of putting himself dead last in literally everything but calling him on it doesn’t help. Do I think he was lying when he said he was okay with us being together? Yes. But do I think confronting him about it will help in _any_ way? No.” She shook her head. “He’s not as okay with us being together as he’d like us to think but he’s also got a lot going on right now. I just want to give him time, okay?” It’s been months, Michael didn’t say. “Give him time to process and deal and if he’s still not, well,” she shrugged. “Then I show up on his doorstep with good alcohol and terrible music and I drag the truth out of him.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “That works?”

Maria smiled. “Usually.” She stepped back, their arms stretching between them. “Come on back inside. It’s my birthday and I want to spend it with as many of the people I love as I can.”

It was the closest they’d ever come to using that word for this thing between them and it sat heavily in his gut. Michael forced a smile that disappeared the second Maria turned and walked away. He looked towards the road even as he let her pull him back inside.

Tonight it was Maria’s birthday and he was where he needed to be. 

Tomorrow he could deal with Alex.


	23. 2x06 Coda (Malex, anti-Maria, anti-Malexa)

“Alex?” Michael hovered over the entrance to Alex’s patio until the man in question turned to face him.

“What do you want, Guerin?” 

“Can I-” he waved awkwardly in front of him.

Alex took in his positioning and his eyes narrowed. “You never waited for an invitation before.”

Michael suppressed a wince as he settled in the chair opposite Alex. Alex didn’t look up at him, his attention fixed on his notebook. “Alex?” Alex hummed in response but still didn’t look at him. “I’m sorry,” Michael exhaled. 

Alex stilled before slowly looking up at him. “For what?”

“For that night.” He didn’t need to specify which one. He was pretty sure it would be referred to as ‘that night’ for the rest of their lives. 

Alex closed his notebook. “What exactly do you think you need to apologize for?”

“All of it?” Michael tried. “Just because you said you didn’t want to leave doesn’t mean you wanted to have sex with me and Maria.”

“No,” Alex agreed. “But I didn’t leave even after it became clear that’s what staying meant.”

Michael had to ask, “why not? I mean, Maria’s a…”

“A woman,” Alex filled in. “Who I have absolutely no feelings for and who I am not sexually attracted to in the least.”

“So why stay?”

Alex sighed. His pen landed on top of the closed notebook with a clatter. “It was late. I didn’t have a car. I was hurt and tired and I just really really did not want to be alone.”

Michael felt his stomach sink. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“When would I?” Alex gazed at him evenly, his exterior a thin veneer of calm and control. But Michael could see the mask fraying, could see the shadows lurking in Alex’s eyes. “There wasn’t exactly much talking going on. Speaking of,” he leaned forward, “I wanted to apologize to you.”

Michael blinked in surprise. “To me?”

Alex nodded. “I never asked if you were okay with it. Not before, not during, and not after. Just because you’ve had sex with both of us individually, I shouldn’t have assumed that you’d want to have sex with both of us together.”

“You didn’t,” Michael corrected. “Maria did.”

“Yes,” Alex agreed. “But so did I or I would have said something. I figured I was the reluctant one in the equation so once I decided I wasn’t leaving, I just followed your lead.” He paused. “Well, I suppose it was Maria’s lead.”

“Alex, did we go too far?” Michael asked. “Was that, was that something that could-”

“Break us?” Alex smiled slightly. “Michael we were already broken.”

“Not completely,” Michael argued. Alex didn’t say anything. “Alex why didn’t you say anything when Maria kissed you? Why didn’t you stop it?”

“Why didn’t you?” Alex shot back. “You came here because you realized something about what happened was wrong so why didn’t you stop it before it happened?”

Michael shrugged. “It didn’t really occur to me. I was tired. We’d had a hell of a night. And Maria seemed so sure, so in control, that I just followed her lead. I didn’t think about what it all really meant until later.” He sank back in his chair. “And it felt good. I felt safe and warm and-”

“Loved?” Alex’s lips twisted. “You were. You are.”

“But you didn’t feel that way.” It wasn’t a question. Michael could read Alex’s tension and discomfort in every line of his body. What had been unexpected, perhaps unwanted, but still positive experience for him hadn’t been the same for Alex.

“No,” Alex agreed. “I didn’t.” Michael wasn’t sure how to ask what he wanted to ask so he stayed silent. Eventually, Alex continued, “did you know earlier that day Maria and I talked about my history with women and I told her that it felt wrong? That every time I did anything with a woman I wasn’t really being me?” Alex shook his head. “We kissed one time, when we were kids. It wasn’t bad. But that was because she was my friend and I could look past the part where she was a girl. Never meant I wanted to sleep with her.” 

“You never answered my question,” Michael said softly.

Alex rubbed his forehead. “Which one was that, exactly?”

“Did we cross a line? Did we go too far?”

“I don’t know, yet,” Alex answered honestly. “I put myself in that position because I needed my friends that night and because I honestly can’t say no to being with you if given the chance. I could’ve left. I could’ve said something. And I didn’t. I was a willing participant.”

Something about that hit Michael wrong. The way Alex sounded- “Just because you were willing-”

“Doesn’t mean I was interested,” Alex finished. “Or, I don’t know what I was. I know thinking about it makes my skin crawl a little. I know if I had the chance I’d get up and walk out before Maria could kiss me. I know,” he let out a breath, “I know I want to forget what you and her look like together.” Michael looked away. “I don’t know if it crossed a line. I don’t know if this could break us. Or break me and Maria.” He shrugged. “It’s only been a few days and I’m still trying to process the fact that I had sex with my very female best friend.”

“I’m sorry,” Michael apologized. “I should’ve stopped it.”

“So should’ve I,” Alex agreed. “But you never answered my question.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t ask a question.”

Alex thought it over. “Fair enough. Did we go too far for you? You’ve been pretty adamant that you and I not have sex anymore. How are you feeling about the fact that we did?”

Michael shrugged. “It happened.” Alex nodded. “It felt different,” he confessed quietly. “Not- not as good.” Alex smothered a smirk but not before Michael caught the upturn of his lips. “I’ve been saying no because I thought if we did it would be like the dam breaking and I’d be caught back up in your tide or whatever.”

“And that didn’t happen.” Alex’s eyes were sad.

“You left,” Michael reminded him. 

Alex sighed. “You let me,” he reminded him in turn. “And what would you have liked me to do? Maria refused to leave your bed so of course I had to be the one to leave.” He glared at Michael, his eyes sad but hard. “You let me walk away and then you went back in to her.”

Michael couldn’t really argue with that. “You said-”

“I just spent the night in very close proximity to the two of you, Guerin. It’s like you’ve been saying, you like her. And she likes you. And I accept that, I do, but I needed to get away from that. There’s only so much I can take.”

“What if she’d left?” Michael asked, suddenly earnest. “What if we all got up and got dressed and Maria left? Would you have left too?”

“Would you have wanted me to?”

“I don’t know,” Michael admitted.

“Then probably,” Alex answered. “I’m trying to follow your lead here, Guerin. If you want something different from what you’ve been saying you want then you need to tell me because I’m going by your script of the last few months. You don’t want to be with me so yeah, I would’ve left even if Maria hadn’t stayed in your bed.”

Michael flinched, unable to hide his visceral reaction to those words. “I didn’t ask her to stay.”

Alex looked at him sadly. “You never ask anyone to stay.” He reached out and picked up his forgotten pen, twirling it between his fingers. 

“I didn’t have to ask her,” Michael countered. “She wanted to be there. She wanted to stay with me.”

“Good for her. And good for you. I’m glad you’ve found what you were looking for. I’m sure you’ll make each other happy.” Just like that, Alex was completely closed off. “If you didn’t need anything else,” he slowly pushed himself to his feet and picked up the notebook. 

Alex didn’t wait for him to say anything before heading for the front door. Suddenly, Michael couldn’t let him go. He sprang to his feet and grabbed Alex’s elbow and turned him around.

“Guerin-”

Michael kissed him. For an instant, Alex kissed back. After that, he pulled away. “What are you doing?”

“Honestly?”

“No, I really want you to lie to me right now,” Alex glared at him. 

“I told you it wasn’t as good. That night, I mean. That being with you wasn’t as good.” Alex stiffened and yanked his arm from Michael’s grip. “Alex-”

“Are you going to suggest we have sex again so you can see if it really does suck now or if it was just Maria’s involvement that made it worse?” Michael _was_ going to suggest that actually. “Fuck you,” Alex told him mildly. “I’m not a yoyo you get to play around with while you decide who you want. I told you I wanted this and you said you wanted Maria so I backed off.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Just go.”

Michael grabbed his arm again. “Please. Just-”

“What?”

Michael raised a shaky hand to Alex’s neck, his fingers curled in the hairs at the nape of his neck as he raised Alex’s chin with his thumb. “Can I kiss you?”

Something in Alex’s eyes cracked. Before Michael could figure out what, Alex had dropped his notebook. “You’re such an asshole,” he muttered in the space between their lips as he brought them together.

The last time Michael had kissed Alex, _really_ kissed him, he’d had Maria on his other side and her hands on his body. With part of his focus on her, he’d been unable to truly appreciate Alex’s kiss. 

He didn’t have that problem now. Their arms nearly knocked into each other as Alex’s raised to bury his fingers in Michael’s hair and Michael moved to cup Alex’s face properly. The world fell away as Michael lost himself in Alex’s lips, in his touch. 

Try as he might with Maria, she could never make him feel like this. Being with her and Alex had been so much more than being with Maria alone and yet it paled in comparison to just Alex’s kiss.

Michael didn’t want it to end. He wasn’t sure if this was the last kiss they’d ever share but in case it was, he planned to stretch it out as long as he possibly could.

Alex had other plans. When the need to breathe became to great, he broke away and then stepped away. Michael felt cold in the absence of his body heat.

“Answer enough for you?” Alex was out of breath but he tried to hide it.

“I didn’t ask her to stay,” Michael said again. Alex’s face shuttered at the mention of Maria. “And I never asked you to stay because I didn’t want you to stay just because I asked. I wanted you to want to stay.”

“I didn’t want to stay where I wasn’t wanted,” Alex countered. “And you never asked.”

“Alex?”

Alex looked him in the eyes. 

“Stay."


	24. Malex + Ensemble (anti-Maria)

Nobody moved. The purple powder took a while to settle and everyone stood silent and still as it softly coated every surface in the room.

Only when the air was visibly clear did Max clear his throat. “Liz?”

“I don’t know,” she replied immediately.

“Michael?”

“How should I know? I wasn’t even touching it!” Michael glared at his brother.

“It’s your tech!” Isobel yelled.

“It’s our tech,” Michael corrected. “I don’t know why you insist on putting so much space between you and it but it’s not going to bite you.”

Nobody said a word.

“What the fuck did I just say?” Michael wondered.

“You said, ‘I don’t know why you insist-”

“That was a rhetorical question,” Michael cut Rosa off. Rosa didn’t notice, her mouth hanging open in shock.

“Why did I say that?” She asked.

“Liz?” Max’s voice was noticeably higher pitched this time.

Liz looked around, her eyes wide. “Is anyone hurt? Or in any pain?”

“My leg’s killing me,” Alex replied instantly. The second the words left his mouth, his body went rigid. He opened his mouth a few times only to visibly snap it shut. “I’ve been overdoing it lately and my doctor told me to stop wearing the prosthetic but I hate just using the crutches.” Alex clenched his jaw. When his mouth opened again, he slapped his hand over it angrily.

“Okay,” Liz said slowly. “Anyone else?”

“My ass hurts,” Michael admitted. Everyone looked at him. Most looked curious, though he saw amusement in a few of their eyes. Alex, however, stared at him in horror and started shaking his head. But it wasn’t any use. Michael felt the next words tumble from his lips before he could help it. “Alex is pretty big and I’m still feeling it.”

Alex closed his eyes. Maria looked slightly uncomfortable which Michael privately thought was- “Why do you look upset?” He asked her. Oh no. “It was your idea for us to have sex.”

Maria’s eyes widened as everyone turned to stare at her. “Just because I wanted to know who you’d choose if you had both of us doesn’t mean I want a reminder that my boyfriend had sex with my friend.”

The temperature in the room dropped. Everyone froze.

“What?” Everyone but Michael and Max asked simultaneously.

Maria struggled to keep her mouth shut. “Alex was hurt and I wanted to comfort him and I thought a good way to show him that Michael and I both love him would be for us all to be together. It also gave Michael an opportunity to have both of us at the same time so he could choose who he wanted to be with.” Maria closed her eyes.

“Alex is gay,” Liz and Rosa reminded her.

“I might need you to repeat that,” Alex said coldly. “Because it sounded like you said that you took advantage of me being hurt and upset to manipulate me into a sexual encounter with you when you know I’m not interested in you or your entire gender just so you could decide if your boyfriend likes you better?!”

“Alex was hurt-” Maria dutifully began to repeat.

“A yes or no is fine,” Alex cut her off. Michael had never seen that look on his face before.

“Yes,” Maria ground out.

“Why?” Michael asked when Alex seemed lost for words. “He and I have been over for a long time. You already knew that.”

“The way he talks about you,” Maria replied immediately. “He knows you so well and so much better than I do and it’s clear that he loves you every time he opens his mouth. And then I saw how carefully you touched him when you were patching up his wound and I realized that it wasn’t long over, not really.” Maria looked like she wanted to run away but somehow she stood her ground. “And you and I weren’t on the same page for a while so it was really a free-for-all.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Alex burst out. “He’s not a prize, Maria. You can’t win him in a competition. You have to earn him.” Michael stared at Alex in shock. “And not by twisting him into having sex with both of us at the same time to see who he likes better!” 

“I wanted him to want me,” Maria tried to defend. “To want only me.”

“I don’t,” Michael told her. He still didn’t look away from Alex. “I’ll never want only you, no matter how long we were together for. I’ll always want Alex.”

“This is better than television,” Isobel chortled. Michael turned towards the others in the room.

“I forgot you guys were here,” slipped out before he could stop himself.

“You have a tendency to do that when you’re looking at Alex.” Max looked like he wanted to die. 

“I need to leave.” Alex snatched his phone off of the table and made for the door. 

“Wait! We don’t know what this did!” Liz tried to stop him.

“I think it’s pretty obvious what it did,” Kyle muttered.

“It’s in our skin,” Liz spared a glare for Kyle before turning to Alex. “Whatever you do don’t touch anyone until we know the full effects.”

Alex nodded and fled.

“I want to go after him,” Michael sighed as the door closed.

Rosa laughed. “So go after him.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can,” she countered. “You put one foot in front of the other. Easy.”

Michael glared at her.

“Michael, I’m so- I lo- I care about you,” Maria reached for him. Whatever was forcing their thoughts into the open was clearly stopping them from lying. “I didn’t want to lose you before we even had something real. Because we could! We could have something great.”

Michael stared at her.

“Michael’s already had great,” Isobel mused. “His name is Alex Manes.” She smirked wickedly when Maria whirled on her. 

Michael didn’t bother sticking around to watch them fight. The second Maria’s attention was off of him, he was out the door.

“Alex!” 

Alex was already in his car with the engine turned on. He glanced up at Michael’s shout and then put his car in reverse and started to back away. Michael reached out with one hand and stopped the car in its tracks. Alex looked down at the steering wheel then up at him in shock.

Michael held it there for a moment as he raced down the steps. By the time he got to the small parking lot, Alex had graciously put his car in park.

“What?”

“I love you.”

They stared at each other in shock. Michael had definitely not intended to say that.

“I love you too.”

This time they at least blinked.

“That night was a mistake. We never should have done that. But the bigger mistake was letting you walk away in the morning.” Michael shook his head. “I’m sick and tired of watching you walk away from me, Alex. I want you to stay.”

“I want to stay,” Alex admitted. “You never asked. And you always let me go. I didn’t think you wanted me for more than what we had.”

“I did. I do.” Michael was quick to say. “I don’t know how to do this Alex.”

“Me neither. I’ve never really had a relationship.”

“Me neither,” Michael laughed. He stepped back from Alex’s window. “Can you get out of the car? I don’t like talking to you through the window.”

Alex hesitated for a moment but eventually turned the car off and got out. The second he was clear of the door, Michael pressed him against the side of the car. “Is this okay?” He paused a hairsbreadth from Alex’s lips.

“It’s always okay,” Alex told him before closing the gap.

They lost themselves to the kiss until the sounds of footsteps and other voices interrupted them. Neither of them glanced at the building. “Come home with me,” Alex asked. “We need to talk.”

“Agreed.” Michael kissed him again. Soon enough the voices were close enough to be distinguishable but Michael still didn’t care. “I’ll follow you.”

Alex nodded and then pulled him back in.

“Alright love birds,” Liz said from right next to them. Michael jumped slightly but Alex’s only reaction was to send her a glare. “It seems to block all inhibition including the impulse to lie.”

“Yeah I’m starting to get that,” Alex muttered as he tangled his fingers in Michael’s hair. He’d always had a thing for doing that, ever since their very first kiss. He just usually didn’t do in front of other people, not even Maria during their threesome.

Liz rolled her eyes. “Try to keep your pants on.”

“That’s not happening,” Michael and Alex replied in unison.

Rosa started cracking up from the other side of the car. “Go home!”

Michael smiled and nuzzled Alex’s nose. “Home?”

Alex smiled. “Home.”


	25. Flint POV (Malex & Miluca ref)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr as In Fair Roswell...

Flint watched the last stragglers stumble from the bar. He didn’t move yet, though. He’d watched all of Alex’s friend group arrive and none of them had left yet. This was his best shot to talk to them but he didn’t want to have to worry about any interruptions so he waited until the last car’s taillights faded into the distance before he got out.

The door was already locked but picking it open took him only a moment. He tucked his tools away and pulled out his dart gun (the darts laced with dust to cancel out alien powers of course) before easing the door open. Laughter and gentle conversation filled the air as Flint closed the door slowly and carefully, not wanting to reveal his presence just yet.

When he rounded the corner he saw Alex’s friends sitting around the one table that hadn’t been cleaned off. They were joking and laughing and it made Flint’s blood boil. How dare they have a fun night out while his brother was killing himself?

The conversation stuttered to a stop when Michael Guerin, Michael _fucking_ Guerin, shoved to his feet, his chair skidding back with a screech. He looked at Flint with fury in his eyes and Flint seriously considered shooting him.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Guerin barked. Everyone turned to follow his gaze. Max and Isobel Evans both took a step back, Max with a warning hand on Isobel’s elbow. Rosa and Liz Ortecho looked annoyed. Maria DeLuca was confused. And Kyle Valenti was worried.

Flint felt a little relief at that because he knew Valenti wasn’t worried about him.

“Where’s Alex?” Valenti asked. 

“What the hell did you do with him?” Guerin asked. His fists were balled up at his sides and Flint felt the air start to shake.

Flint raised the gun and pointed it at him in warning. “Accuse me of hurting my brother again and I will shoot you. I don’t even care how much he loves you.” Guerin sucked in a breath. Next to him DeLuca put a hand on his arm, the touch looking a bit too possessive.

“You’re a little out of the loop Flint,” Rosa smirked. “Alex has a boyfriend.”

“The Long cousin, I know,” Flint scoffed. That earned him a few frowns and a few more confused looks. Flint shook his head. “Look. I don’t want to be here, okay? I don’t particularly like any of you.” Though Valenti was showing some redeeming features, he had to admit. “But someone’s gotta pull out Alex out of the fire and it can’t be me.”

Guerin took a step forward so he was now firmly on Flint’s side of the table. DeLuca again grabbed his arm. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Flint raised an eyebrow. “Alex,” he repeated slowly. The confused faces didn’t change. He rolled his eyes. “Do none of you know what he’s been up to?”

They all exchanged looks. “He’s been busy with work and Forrest lately,” the ~~younger~~ older Ortecho replied. “It’s been a while since he’s been free to come out with us.” The more she spoke, the slower she spoke. “Oh god, what has he been doing?”

“He’s working with my dad-”

“Bullshit!” Guerin exploded. “He would never work with him.” 

Valenti was shaking his head vehemently. “No way.”

“What did yo-” Guerin took two large steps towards him, now closer to Flint than the table.

“You know the part of the conversation where I shoot you if you accuse me of hurting Alex?” Flint cut him off. His gun hadn’t wavered and it was pointed directly at Guerin’s neck. “We’re coming up on that pretty quick.” Guerin glared at him but thankfully shut up.

“Good.” He didn’t drop the gun. If it was loaded with bullets, he wouldn’t dare (no matter what he said, he’d never actually hurt Guerin, not with knowing how much it would kill Alex), but he was more than happy to strip him of his powers for a few days until the powder exited his bloodstream. “Now. As I was saying, Alex has been working with my dad to try and kill Project Shepherd.” Guerin’s shoulders sank even as his face hardened. Flint cocked his head. “You wouldn’t know anything about _why_ he’d do something so monumentally stupid, would you?”

“He said he tried and your dad blew him off,” Guerin ground out. “He said he wouldn’t try again.”

Flint scoffed. “You’re an idiot.” Guerin opened his mouth but Flint cut him off again. “Look. I respect that you two have this whole Romeo and Romeo, star crossed lovers thing going. And really, an alien falling in love with someone from a family that has made its business to hunt and kill aliens? That’s more than a little ironic don’t you think. But whatever, congrats on all your soulmatey-ness and what not but I swear you two forgot how that story ended. Because right now Alex is pulling the suicide play to try and keep you safe so I need you to step up and pull him out. He won’t listen to me and if my dad catches me trying he’ll put a bullet in both of us so it has to be you.” Flint glanced over at the rest of the group. DeLuca looked angry for some reason (though if Flint had to guess he’d say it was related to the possessive arm grab from earlier) and Valenti looked upset but the rest still looked confused. Did they really not know Guerin’s history with his brother? “He’s doing this for you, Guerin-”

“I never asked him to.”

“So what?” Flint shook his head. “He’s in love with you. And he’s got a self sacrificing streak a mile wide, most of it with your name on it. You didn’t _have_ to ask.” Flint paused and considered before slowing lowering his gun. “I need you to be the guy my brother’s in love with, Guerin. I need you to save him. From my father but also from himself. Can you do that?” He thought back over his own analogy. “Without ending up dead yourself?”

Guerin didn’t say anything. He looked frozen in place. “Guerin?” Flint asked.

Guerin shook his head. “He doesn’t love me. Not anymore.”

DeLuca stepped forward. “You’ve been out of Alex’s life for a long time Flint,” her voice was icy. “We’ll take care of Alex because he’s our family,” Flint glared at her, “but don’t come in here putting this on Michael. He and Alex have been over for a long time.” She grabbed Guerin’s hand between both of hers and squeezed.

Flint blinked. He should let it go. He should really let- “How are we defining a long time? Because less than six months ago Alex stayed inside a condemned building that was about to blow up just so he wouldn’t have to live without his asshole.” The asshole in question flinched. DeLuca’s face furrowed. “Now I’m not sure what the hell is going on here,” he waved his free hand in their direction, “but I do know that if anyone’s got a shot at convincing Alex to give up this suicidal crusade, it’s Guerin. So get the fuck over yourself and save my little brother.”

“Okay.” Guerin lifted his head and looked Flint in the eyes. “Where is he?”

Flint sighed. “There’s another site. Just like Caulfield only smaller.” Guerin flinched. Behind him, the Evans’ tensed like they were about to come at Flint. Flint tightened his grip on the gun. “I’ll give you the address. He’s out there most days. Got himself reassigned to Dad’s project after making up some crap about Dad needing supervision following his hospital stay.” Flint shot Valenti a quick glare but Valenti looked admirably unapologetic. “You need to get him out of there.”

“I will,” Guerin’s voice was more solid than Flint had heard since he walked in. “I promise.”

“Good.” He pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket and placed it firmly on the counter next to him. Keeping a careful eye on everyone, he backed slowly out of the room. “Oh, Guerin?”

“Yeah?”

“Romeo and Juliet died,” Guerin’s face did something complicated, “shoot for a better ending. Because if Alex dies trying to save your ass, I’m coming for you."


	26. Alex + Michael + Maria (Malexa aftermath, anti-Maria, anti-Malexa)

“Alex!” Alex stared at his car sitting two steps away and seriously considered getting in it. “Alex!” Maria yelled again. A car honk as she darted across the street. Alex turned just before she reached him. He stepped neatly out of her grasping hand.

“Hey.”

Maria’s brow furrowed. “Hey,’ she echoed. “Where have you been? i haven’t seen you in weeks.”

Alex shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”

“Okay…” Maria looked at him oddly. “Are you okay? It’s not like you to just disappear like this.” It was exactly like him, Alex thought idly. He’d developed a bad habit of leaving a situation if it made him uncomfortable, something he knew Michael was well aware of. The fact that Maria wasn’t almost made him sad. Almost.

Alex didn’t say anything, just waited for Maria to get the point.

Maria hesitated. “Alex? Are we okay?”

“No.” He shook his head. “We’re not.”

Maria looked taken aback. “Why not? What’s wrong?”

Alex almost laughed. “Why’d you kiss me that night Maria?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure which part of that was confusing.”

Maria looked around them. It was early afternoon and the sidewalk was decently full without being crowded. Still, it probably wasn’t the best place to have this conversation but Alex wasn’t in the mood to prolong it so he had no intentions of leaving. Maria stepped to the side and reached for his arm but Alex evaded her touch. Maria’s hand hung awkwardly in the air. She stared between it and him for a moment before stepping in close. Strangers stepped around them, blissfully ignorant of the tension in the air.

“Alex. We’d had a rough day. I wanted to comfort you, to make sure you were okay.”

Alex nodded slowly. “So on the same day when I told you that being with women made me feel wrong you decided that the only way to comfort me was to _kiss_ me and then sleep with me.” He felt his body go cold as he remembered the feel of her touch on his bare skin. It had been weeks since that night and it still made his skin crawl. 

“Alex,” Maria shook her head. “You’re making it sound like something bad.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “I fail to see how it was something good.”

Maria looked wounded. “It was beautiful,” she protested. 

“Well,” Alex manfully did not scoff. “I’m glad you thought so. And Michael said he felt loved so good for him.” 

“And you?” Maria sounded defiant. “You seemed to enjoy yourself.”

Alex tried to resist. He didn’t want to completely destory his relationship with Maria, but- “As long as I was touching Michael sure,” he agreed. “Or did you think it was you that made me enjoy it?” He cocked his head. Maria flushed and glanced away. Her shoulders were tense. “Tell me something, at which point did you forget that I’m gay? That of the two other people involved, I only wanted to be with one of you. And it wasn’t you.”

“So you manipulated me to sleep with my boyfriend?” Maria glared.

“If anyone manipulated anyone, it wasn’t me,” Alex countered. “I stayed because I didn’t want to be alone and because the two people I wanted to be with were already there. You were the one who turned it into sex. That’s not what I wanted.”

“You said you didn’t want to leave,” Maria accused.

“I didn’t,” Alex agreed. “And I could have left. I thought about it, I don’t even know how many times I thought about it, but didn’t. And that’s on me. But the fact that I even had to think about it is on you. I never would have even considered it and I know Michael wouldn’t have-”

“No?” Maria scoffed. “You think he didn’t like it?”

“I didn’t say he didn’t like it, I said he wouldn’t have considered it. He made it very clear that he and I were done, that he didn’t want to have sex with me ever again,” Maria fidgeted, “and besides, he knows I’m very gay so no, that never would have happened if you hadn’t initiated it. It’s on you, Maria. And I’m glad you and he both enjoyed it but I didn’t. And you and I are not okay.”

“Alex-”

“I’ve got a lot to do today,” Alex cut her off. He made it one step to his car before he felt her hand on his arm. Alex flinched and ripped it away. The motion caused him to stumble back the last step until he hit the side of the car. 

“Alex?” Maria was frozen, her hand hovering over his arm but thankfully not touching him. “What-”

“Don’t touch me.” Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was only his arm but it reminded him of how her hand had dragged down the length of his thigh. He hadn’t taken his pants off, hadn’t been willing to even consider taking his prosthetic off, but he’d shoved his jeans down far enough for her to touch him far more intimately than he was retroactively comfortable with and the memory burned him. “Just- don’t.”

Maria didn’t listen. She took another step towards him, her hand now even closer. “Alex, I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to make sure you’re okay.” She reached for his shoulder and Alex had to force himself not to react. She wasn’t a threat and it wouldn’t do to treat her like one, especially in the middle of town.

“Alex?” A new voice called. Maria’s hand froze as she turned towards it and Alex felt his shoulders slump just a little. “Maria what the hell?”

“Something’s wrong,” Maria replied. “He’s not okay.”

“Clearly. So back the hell off.” Michael glared at her for a beat before remembering that he was supposed to be in love with her and his gaze softened. Maria didn’t move, though. Alex stayed pressed flat against his car until Michael grabbed Maria’s arm gently and firmly pulled her a step back. “If he’s not okay, don’t crowd him like that. He doesn’t like to be touched.” Alex would really like it if they didn’t talk about him like he wasn’t there but he was too busy taking deep breaths and thanking Michael for his timely appearance to care too much.

“He’s-” Maria started.

“He’s leaving,” Alex snapped. He forced the door open into Michael and slipped inside, shutting the door firmly behind him. Maria started to say something but between the window, the engine, and his music, he didn’t hear her. With a nod of thanks to Michael, Alex pulled out into traffic, the happy couple in his wake.

—

Michael hasn’t sought Alex out in weeks but after the scene with Maria that afternoon, Alex couldn’t quite say he was surprised to open his door at 1am to see the man standing on his porch.

“Guerin.”

“Are you okay?” Michael didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Maria said you blamed her for forcing you into…” he couldn’t even say it.

Alex leaned against the door frame. “I told her we weren’t okay and that that night made me uncomfortable. I also pointed out that if it hadn’t been for her, neither you or I would have ever considered doing such a thing.” Michael looked away. “Am I wrong?” Michael didn’t look at him. “Michael you made it clear that you didn’t want to sleep with me anymore. If Maria hadn’t suggested it, would the idea of a threesome with the two of us have ever occurred to you?”

The corner of his lip quirked upwards. “Maybe in fantasy,” he admitted. “But she’s a woman and you’re gay so no the idea of us actually doing that? No it wouldn’t have occurred to me.”

Alex nodded but didn’t say anything.

“Are we okay Alex?”

Alex leaned his head against the door frame. “Would it matter if we weren’t?”

Michael flinched like Alex had hit him. “Are we not?”

Alex sighed and straightened. “Guerin, for months you have been telling me that we’re nothing and I have tried to be there for you as much as I can but you don’t need me, you’ve got Maria and Max is back,” Alex shook his head with a tiny huff of a laugh, “you don’t need me. And you’ve made it clear you don’t want me. So would it really matter if we weren’t okay? Would it change anything?”

“Yes,” Michael said immediately. “I want us to be okay, Alex.”

Alex considered that. “Then we’re okay.”

Michael blinked. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

“But,” Michael looked bewildered. He seemed to struggled with his words for a ling while before Alex took pity on him. 

“It’s late. I was heading to bed.” He stepped back out of the way of the door and started to close it. “Good night, Guerin.”

Michael’s hand shot out to stop the door. “You left.”

Alex eased the door open wider and raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“That morning. You got up and you left. I didn’t ask you to leave, I didn’t wa-”

Alex ignored the cut off word. If Michael couldn’t say it, it didn’t matter. “What did you expect me to do? Round 2?”

“No!” Michael denied. He hesitated. “Why’d you leave?”

“Again,” Alex said slowly, “what did you expect?” Michael looked away. “Were you expecting Maria to leave? Because she clearly did not have any intentions of going anywhere. She looked quite comfortable in your bed.”

Michael closed his eyes briefly. “Why do you always leave?”

Something broke inside Alex. “Why do you always push me? You push and you push and you _push_ ,” Alex’s voice cracked a little. “And then when I do walk away you never ask me to stay. Not once in ten years have you ever asked me to stay or to come back, Michael. I left, yeah, because we both have issues and you push people away to test them, but I kept coming back. And every single time it was because I wanted to. Not because you asked me to, because you _never_ asked.” He huffed. “How much do you think I can take? Ten years and you never once said you wanted me here. You say things like you don’t look away and we’re cosmic but you don’t ask me to stay. You don’t tell me you want me here. You don’t stop me when I leave or come after me.” Alex shook his head. “You push people to test see how much they care about you. I just wanted you to say it. Just once. Just- ask me to stay or care enough to come after me when I leave. But you don’t. And I have finally started to accept that.” He grabbed the door. “So yeah, Guerin, I left that morning. And you let me. So we’re okay, but we’re not friends and we’re definitely not anything else.” He started to close it. “Go home.”

He shut the door before Michael could reply. There was a moment’s pause and then a thump on the other side. Alex sighed and braced his back against the door.

“Alex?” Michael’s voice was tiny and faint. Alex didn’t say anything. “You joined the Air Force. I can’t compete with the US government no matter how much I wanted you to stay. Asking felt cruel. And I didn’t want to ask only to watch you leave anyway.”

Alex closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry for that night. I’m sorry for ruining things for you and Maria. I’m sorry we’re not friends.” Michael paused. Alex heard him inhale sharply, the stillness of the night letting even the smallest sounds carry. “I know you Alex,” he spoke louder now. “You’re planning to leave.” Alex glanced at the transfer paperwork sitting on the counter. “Don’t. Stay here. Please.”

Alex dropped his head against the door and closed his eyes. There was shifting on the other side and then the lock turned. Alex locked it again quickly. 

“Alex,” Michael said plaintively. “Please don’t go. I want-” He stopped. 

There was silence until Alex heard the sound of Michael’s truck turning on. He waited until it faded into the night to open his eyes.

The paperwork stared accusingly back. 

Alex scooped it up and looked it over before carefully printing and signing his name.


	27. Malex (Forlex ref, anti-Maria, anti-Miluca)

Alex spent a week processing. One week where he went on two dates with Forrest Long, where he didn’t see or talk to Michael or Maria, where he distanced himself from everyone involved with the alien problem in Roswell. At the end of the week he made a decision. He was done putting himself second, done letting others have what he wanted.

Seven days after that night, Alex took himself in hand in the shower and opened his mind up wide. It took a moment, the connection dull with disuse, but eventually he felt it. One moment he was alone in his head and the next Michael was there.

“ _Alex?”_ Like it could be anyone else. “ _What are-”_ Alex felt Michael’s inhale, the stuttering of his heartbeat as he realized what Alex was doing. Alex didn’t answer him. Instead, he refocused his full attention to the quick movements of his hand.

“ _Alex_ ,” Michael sounded strangled. “ _You’re doing this_ now _?”_ Alex dipped into his mind for a moment and looked through his eyes. Maria sat across from the table from him. Her hand was in his, their fingers tangled together. Alex didn’t have to look around to know the restaurant was out of Michael’s price range and was probably somewhere Maria had requested they go.

Alex smirked and sped up his hand. He stayed in Michael’s head while the other man slowly lost control. Michael made a valiant attempt for about one minute before excusing himself to the restroom, his fingers practically ripping out of Maria’s hand in his haste. 

Michael fled to the bathroom and, finding it empty, locked the door a half second before he shoved his hand down his pants. “ _I hate you_ ,” he griped. Alex didn’t let it phase him. It was a dirty trick and he’d known it before he’d done it. They’d learned how to close the connection in the first place because one of them having sex made the other one aching for relief in an instant. 

Neither one said another word as they chased their release. Their breathing fell in sync as they came down. “ _What the hell, Alex_?” Michael sounded out of breath even in their minds.

“ _Thought I’d remind you.”_ Alex dipped his head back and carded his fingers through his hair. He massaged it lightly, rinsing the last of the shampoo out even as the sensation made Michael groan.

“ _Remind me?”_

 _“That I’m here.”_ Michael closed his eyes. “ _That when you’re done with whatever sham of a relationship you’re playing at with Maria, I’m still going to be here. You and I forever.”_ They’d had a solidified soul bond since they were 17. It had saved Alex’s life in Afghanistan on two different occasions when Michael noticed something he hadn’t and it gave them both terrifying nightmares that combined both of their trauma into one. Other than that, it had historically been more of a nuisance than anything else. But it gave Alex an advantage Maria could never know about or hope to have. “ _I want you. In every way. And I’m not going to sit quietly on the sidelines while I watch my soulmate be with someone else.”_

 _“Alex,”_ Michael groaned. “ _I thought we were ignoring this.”_

 _“Hmm we were,”_ Alex agreed _. “But I’m done with that. We’re meant for each other Michael, you know and I know it. I’m done pretending we don’t.”_

Alex slipped out of Michael’s mind and turned off the shower. He retained some awareness of Michael’s movements as he dried off and got dressed. Michael spent a moment regaining his senses before he went back to the table and to Maria. Alex waited until they were halfway through their dinner before he purposefully recalled the one night he spent with Forrest. As he remembered Forrest’s mouth on him, he opened his mind fully to Michael and shoved the memory at him.

Michael choked on a bite of the least expensive entree available. He waved off Maria’s concerns. “ _Alex!”_ Alex felt Michael’s stomach turn at the memory.

“ _At least I didn’t invite you to join_ ,” Alex bit out. “ _Think about this the next time you want to fuck Maria. Because I can go find some fun too."_


	28. Malex Soulmate AU (Forlex & Miluca ref, anti-Maria, anti-Miluca)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> birthday present for caitlesshea!

Forrest is a nice guy. He’s cute, he’s funny, he rocks a leather jacket like no one Alex has ever seen in person, and he understands Alex’s history with the military. On paper, he’s pretty much perfect. Off paper, he’s not perfect but he might be perfect for Alex.

Except for the tiny, inconsequential detail of Alex having a soulmate and it not being Forrest Long. But other than that small hiccup (which the other party seems to be ignoring just fine) Alex _likes_ the guy. He likes spending time with him. He likes going on dates with him. And he’s really starting to like kissing him.

They’d had a nice dinner and Forrest had walked Alex to his car before slowly pressing him up against it and kissing him softly. The quiet din of the restaurant filtered in at the edge of his senses but Alex ignored it in favor of cupping Forrest’s face and kissing him back. He was just about to suggest heading back to his place when he felt it.

Lips crawling up the side of his neck. A moment later he caught a whiff of perfume and cheap beer. 

Alex broke away from the kiss and focused all of his attention on slamming the door on the connection. Frustratingly, it wouldn’t close. Not all of the way. 

“Alex?” Forrest sounded worried. Alex shook his head but didn’t answer, too lost in the link to Michael to form words. He’d managed to close the mental bridge between them for almost a decade before coming back to Roswell, and to Michael, permanently had forced it wide open for the first time since graduation. They’d each closed it a few times since then but neither one of them had tried to shut it off until the night they-

Alex pressed a hand to his forehead and imagined a heavy steel door slamming shut over the link, trying to stifle their connection through sheer will alone. The sensations ceased and Alex breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alex?” Forrest asked again. “What’s wrong?”

“Long story,” was all Alex offered. It was their second date. Not the time to talk about Alex’s soul bond to another man. He wasn’t exactly sure _when_ the right time for that was but it wasn’t now. He hooked a finger in Forrest’s belt loop and tugged. Forrest went easily, his eyes darting from Alex’s hand to his eyes.

“Are you okay?” He asked, his hands gentle on Alex’s face.

“Yeah,” Alex assured. “Just a little headache, nothing ma-” Wet lips encircled his cock and Alex choked out a gasp. He pressed a hand over his crotch, the familiar denim under his touch grounding him. 

“Alex?!” Forrest’s eyes were wide. “What’s going on?”

Alex rolled his eyes. “My soulmate’s an asshole.” It was out before he could stop it. So much for not mentioning that on the second date.

Forrest froze. Alex wasn’t even sure he was breathing. “Your _what_?”

He felt a kiss press to his tip and Alex opened the door wide open. _STOP IT_ , he screamed down it. Michael physically jerked in response and Alex felt and heard Maria choke on the sudden motion. Michael hurriedly pushed her away and pulled up his pants. _What the hell, Alex!?_ Maria kneeled on the floor, one hand pressed to her mouth as she cleared her throat. She glared up at Michael. “What the hell, Guerin?!”

“Alex?” Forrest asked softly. He sounded worried again and Alex had to wonder how many times he’d said his name. Ignoring Michael’s queries, Alex pulled out of the connection and back into his own mind. Forrest’s hands were back on his face, his face creased in worry. “You’re scaring me. Are you okay?”

Alex nodded and kissed him. Forrest didn’t react at first, not until Alex coaxed his lips open and slipped his tongue into his mouth. Then it was like a switch flipped. Forrest pushed forward until Alex was happily trapped between his body and the side of the car. As Alex’s hands wandered south, Forrest slipped his knee between his thighs and pressed up against his hardening cock. 

_Alex!_ Michael yelled. Alex slipped into their connection just long enough to see Maria yelling at Michael while Michael felt physically ill. 

_Not so much fun from the other side, is it?_

_I didn’t know._

_Now you do._ Alex came back to himself to find his hands down the back of Forrest’s pants and an asshole yelling at them. 

“Maybe we should take this somewhere else?” Alex asked, panting lightly.

But Forrest shook his head. “As nice as that was,” he laughed lightly, “and believe me it was nice, we really need to talk about your soulmate?”

Alex dropped his head back with a poorly concealed groan. “Can we not? We’re not together, obviously, so I don’t think it matters.” Forrest’s hands were still tight on his hips and Alex didn’t mind it at all. 

“I can see that,” Forrest smirked, glancing down at the obvious evidence. “But I think it might matter to me.” He let go of Alex’s hips and took a step back. “Your soul is bound to another’s. If what I’ve read is accurate, then you’ve got a telepathic and emotional link to them. One that can’t be severed.” Alex nodded. Forrest shrugged his shoulders, his hands shoving deep into his pockets. “How can you do what we just did if you’re bound to someone else like that?”

Alex looked around the parking lot. “Can we talk somewhere else?”

Forrest nodded. “I’ll follow you.”

Alex watched him walk away before unlocking his car and sliding behind the wheel. It was late and there were few places open but Alex wasn’t sure if Forrest would be comfortable going back to his place right now so he headed for the Crashdown. When they walked in, Arturo looked up and smiled. Alex waved and led Forrest to an empty booth in the back. Though it was late, the place wasn’t exactly empty and there was enough chatter in the air to give them some privacy.

“So,” Forrest started when Alex didn’t say anything. “Soulmate.”

Alex motioned to Arturo for a coffee. He’d prefer something a little stronger but the Crashdown’s menu hadn’t yet expanded to include alcohol so he’d take what he could get. “We bonded in high school,” he started. Alex twisted his fingers together and didn’t look up. “It was good for about a month and then I enlisted. He didn’t come with me so we spent a decade…” he cleared his throat. “Anyway, when I moved back we sort of picked back up but things happened and it became clear that despite the bond we’re not good for each other, not like that, so we agreed to move on. Be with other people.” A waiter Alex didn’t recognize brought over two cups of coffee and disappeared without seeing if they wanted anything to eat. 

“I’ve never heard of a bonded pair not being together,” Forrest commented as he poured sugar into his coffee. His voice was free of judgement. 

“Yeah.” Alex rubbed a hand across his forehead. “I know. But being together isn’t really an option for us.”

Forrest made a noise. “What happened earlier?”

Alex felt a flush creep up his neck and he quickly took a sip of his coffee. It was too hot but he didn’t care. “The connection. I used to be able to close it completely but lately it’s been creeping open. He, uh, he was with his girlfriend and…”

“Ah,” was all Forrest said. “That must be awkward.”

“Just a bit,” Alex agreed. He grimaced. “I might have kissed you to give him a little payback. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, I wasn’t complaining.” Forrest laughed. “It was good, even if you did have ulterior motives.” He looked down at his coffee and spun it around in his hands. 

Alex reached out and stilled his movements. “It wasn’t all ulterior motives. I like you, a lot. I wanted to kiss you and I liked it. A lot.”

Forrest smiled and nodded. “But this is never going to be anything permanent.”

Alex pulled his hand back. “I’m sorry. I should have been up front about it.”

“I’m not sure how that conversation would’ve gone,” Forrest laughed. “I’m glad we got some time together first. And just because it isn’t permanent doesn’t mean it can’t be something at all.” Alex raised an eyebrow. “We could have fun.” Forrest paused and searched Alex’s face. “And now that I know about the ulterior motives, I’m more than fine with being used to piss off some other guy.”

Alex laughed in surprise. “Are you serious?”

Forrest shrugged. “Is he an asshole?”

“I love him,” Alex replied immediately.

“Not what I asked,” Forrest winked. “But yeah, I figured that part out all on my own.” Alex flushed. Of course he did, soulmates were never anything but hopelessly in love with each other. “I just figured if he’s with someone else when you can feel it, he’s gotta be a bit of a dick.”

Alex shrugged. “We’re both assholes,” he admitted.

“Fair enough.” Forrest took a sip of his coffee. “The offer still stands. We can have some fun for as long as you want. And if what you want is a little payback or to make him jealous or something like that, I am happy to oblige.”

“You really like pissing off assholes don’t you?” Alex shook his head, not even trying to hide his smile.

Forrest stretched. “It’s something of a hobby of mine.”

“Okay.” Alex couldn’t believe he was agreeing to this. He lifted his coffee cup and waited until Forrest did the same to clink them together. “To having fun and pissing off the asshole.”

—

Forrest _was_ a lot of fun. He was quickly becoming one of Alex’s best friends, albeit one that Alex made out with on a fairly regular basis. 

Alex’s connection with Michael was getting harder and harder to close. Every time he tried to shut it down, it stayed just a little bit more open. They never spoke about it, even when they did speak, and as far as Alex could tell, Michael was just trying to ignore the thing. Forrest started to recognize the signs of the open connection, particularly when Michael and Maria were together, and he was always quick to offer his help. Most times, Alex took him up on it. It felt good and had the pleasant bonus of making Michael sick to his stomach. Two months into their arrangement, Alex was pretty sure Michael and Maria hadn’t had sex once. Maria certainly seemed pissed off enough to be going through a dry spell when he ran across her. He couldn’t deny the little thrill it gave him to know he was effectively cockblocking her. 

“Alex!” Michael ran out of the Crashdown as Alex walked to his car. Alex slowed and turned. “Can we talk?”

Alex shrugged. “What’s wrong? Is everyone okay?”

“What? Yeah, everyone’s fine.” Michael shook his head. “It’s about the thing.”

Alex arched an eyebrow. He knew perfectly well what Michael was referring to but he wasn’t going to let him off easy. “The thing?”

Michael rolled his eyes. “The bond.”

“Oh that thing.” Michael glared balefully. Alex sighed. “What about it?”

Michael looked around. It was late and the sidewalk was empty. He stepped closer to Alex anyway. “Why is it acting up?”

“It’s not,” Alex furrowed his brow. “I can’t keep it closed anymore for some reason but it’s not acting up.”

“Keep it closed?”

“Yes,” Alex said slowly. “I used to keep it closed so we wouldn’t have…this. But since I opened it back up when I got home, I’ve had trouble closing it again. Maybe you should try it this time.” Alex huffed. “Instead of making me do all the work.”

Michael glared. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I make you cut me off in the cold after disappearing in the middle of the night to join the military without telling me?” Alex looked away. Michael sighed. “How do I do it?”

“Just picture a door between us and close it.” Alex shrugged. “That’s what I did.”

“So what’s the problem now?”

“The door won’t close all the way. I’m not sure why.”

“Well if you can’t do it with a decade of practice,” Alex flinched, “how do you expect me-”

“Alex!” Forrest jogged across the street, waving brightly. “There you are. I was getting worried.” Alex felt Michael’s body tense up, his whole being radiating anger and anxious energy. 

_Don’t._

Michael glared at him. He didn’t relax.

“Everything okay?” Forrest had joined them by now and was glancing between them. 

“Everything’s fine,” Alex replied, breaking away from his glaring match with Michael. “I was on my way.”

Forrest waved him off. “No worries. Just wanted to make sure we were still on for tonight.” Michael huffed and walked away without a word. Alex and Forrest stared after him. “Don’t tell me that alien guy is your asshole.” Alex closed his eyes. “That came out wrong.” Forrest looked sheepish when Alex opened his eyes.

“Yeah. Michael’s the guy,” Alex confessed.

“Isn’t he dating your friend?” 

Alex hummed.

“What an asshole.”

“Yup.”

—

What’s a seven letter word for _terrain ruined coach?_

Alex was in the middle of an important briefing on base and so ignored Michael. After a moment though, he felt him in his head and closed his eyes. _You don’t have a security clearance._

He felt Michael huff. _Seven letter word?_

_Trainer_

There was a pause. _Huh. That fits._

—

_Why is there smoke? I don’t like smoke when it’s coming out of my car._

Distantly, he heard a tool fall to the ground before Michael was in his head and looking through his eyes. _Damn. What did you do to this thing?_

_I drove it._

_Well that explains it._ Alex mentally stuck his tongue out and Michael’s answering laugh rumbled through his own chest. _Give me half an hour and I’ll come out with the tow truck._

_Thanks._

_Anytime._

—

They went back and forth with random innocuous conversations for about two weeks. Their interaction would usually last about 30 seconds, maybe a minute, and then nothing. Alex wasn’t sure what to make of it except that he liked it. He liked having this inside scoop on Michael’s thoughts, not necessarily because of their bond but because Michael was reaching out to him to show them to him.

—

_You cannot honestly find this attractive._

Alex jerked in surprise. He’d been lost in his thoughts listening to Forrest perform his new poem and hadn’t expected to hear from Michael. _It has its appeal._

_To dying cats maybe._

_Don’t be an asshole._

_I’m not! I’m being honest. Like you should be. This is not good._

_His words are-_

_Alex._

_Okay, yeah, it’s not really my thing._ Michael’s smugness positively radiated from him. So much so, that Alex knew he was sitting at the table three behind him and one to the left without having to turn around and look. _Fuck off._

_Make me._

Alex arched an eyebrow. _Really, Guerin?_ On the small stage, Forrest caught his eye and raised an eyebrow. Alex jerked his head slightly backwards in Michael’s direction. Forrest followed the movement and shook his head at them. 

_Bring it on, Manes._

Alex waited until he heard Maria come over to Michael. He let Michael relax, let him ease into a conversation with Maria. After a moment, he felt Maria sit on his lap. With a twisted grin, Alex opened the connection up wide and remembered their first night together after Alex came home from his first deployment. They’d both been a mess of emotions and riding the highs of relief at Alex’s safe return and anger over the way they’d left things when he’d deployed and it had spiraled into one of the most passionate nights they’d ever shared. It was also the first time Alex had ridden Michael. Distantly, Alex heard Forrest finish up and the next guy step up on stage. A moment later, the chair next to him was pulled out and Forrest sat down. But Alex paid him no mind, lost as he was in the memory.

Eight years ago Alex rolled his hips into Michael’s and present day Michael shoved Maria off of his lap in response. She hit the floor with a grunt and the room fell silent. Alex felt bad, he hadn’t intended for Michael to literally throw her off of him, but he couldn’t regret it when the memory bloomed bright in his mind, Michael’s own memory of that night joining with his and becoming a vivid thing between them. 

Forrest cupped his face, clearly reading the signs of an open connection and planning his usual response, but Alex brushed him off. Someone helped Maria to her feet while Michael hunched over in his chair, one hand pressed against his crotch. He was completely oblivious to her rage. 

_That’s playing dirty._

_You asked for it._

Alex pulled back and closed the door between them. The world swam into focus around him, complete with a slightly worried, smirking Forrest. “What did you do?” He looked behind Alex at Michael. Or maybe Maria, Alex wasn’t sure. 

Alex shrugged, unwilling to answer. Forrest’s smirk grew wider. “You’re a little bit of an asshole Alex Manes.”

Half an hour later, Michael got his payback by making Alex witness his and Maria’s fight. It wasn’t pretty. 

_Why don’t you just leave? Give her some time to calm down and talk to her tomorrow._

_I can’t just leave._

_You can actually. Tell her you’re going home and you’ll talk to her tomorrow._

_I can’t walk out on her Alex. I hurt her. I embarrassed her. She gets to yell at me._

_No, Guerin. She gets to be hurt and embarrassed. And she gets to be upset. None of that gives the right to yell at you. Especially not like this._

“Why can’t you act like a normal adult, Guerin?” Maria huffed. “Maybe stay sober for more than a few hours at a time?”

 _You’ve been doing so good with your sobriety._ Alex told Michael. _It’s not a crime to enjoy a few drinks, you know. You’ve cut back so much and you’re doing so well at being there for everyone. She’s upset and she’s yelling. Don’t take what she’s saying to heart. She doesn’t mean it._

_She sure seems like she means it._

_Michael. Go home. Talk to her tomorrow._

_I-_

_You can._

“Are you even listening to me?!” Michael and Alex both focused on Maria. She stood not two feet away, her hands on her hips and anger in her eyes. “You’re too drunk to control yourself and throw me on the floor in the middle of my bar and you can’t even listen to me when I’m trying to tell you how upset I am? Are you kidding me?” She pointed at the door. “Get out.”

“Maria-” _Go!_

Maria glared at Michael and he went. At the door, Michael turned back to face her and Alex caught a strange look on her face. It was almost like she’d expected Michael to stay. For what, he couldn’t say. She’d made it clear he wasn’t welcome so unless she wanted him to beg for her forgiveness- Ah, there it was. 

_She’s not like that._ Michael had obviously caught his train of thought. _I hurt her._

_You embarrassed her. There’s a difference._

_Alex! She’s upset!_ Michael turned and looked forlornly at Maria’s door. _I need to-_

 _Michael_. Alex thought about his front door and shoved the image at Michael. _My door’s always open._

Michael hesitated. _No Forrest?_

_No._

Michael got in his truck.

—

It was late. That was the first thing Alex noticed. He was usually up with the sun, old habits, but the light streaming through his window told him it was close to noon.

The second thing he noticed was that he was warm. Unnaturally so. Third, he recognized that he felt warm in more ways than just temperature. He felt warm and safe and soft, somehow. 

Finally, Alex turned his head and took in the mop of curls currently sharing a pillow with him.

 _Early_. 

Alex lifted his head just enough to see the clock behind Michael’s head. 10:04 flashed brightly. _Late_.

 _Saturday_.

Alex rolled his eyes. _Late is late no matter what day it is._

Michael lifted his head to give Alex the saddest eyes in the world. _There are not enough words to tell you how wrong you are._

Alex couldn’t help it, he laughed. Michael’s eyes crinkled up as he smiled in response. “Get up. I have to pee.” Alex shoved at Michael’s shoulders. His shirt was soft under Alex’s hands, his muscles hard underneath.

Michael rolled off of him and Alex escaped to the bathroom. A few minutes later he emerged to find Michael perched on the edge of the bed, his phone in his fist. “What’s wrong?” Alex hadn’t felt any major emotions from Michael but the white knuckle grip told him something had happened.

“Maria,” Michael replied.

“Is she still angry?”

Michael handed his phone over. “She wants to know why I spent the night at your place.”

Alex took the phone in surprise. “You told her you were here?”

“No.”

Alex’s head jerked up. “Then how did she know you were here?” Michael waved a hand at the phone so Alex read the message.

> {From: Maria 06:31am}

> Why is your truck outside of Alex’s house? 

> Are you sleeping with him behind my back? 

> How long has this been going on? 

> How could you do this to me?

The messages were one right after the other.

“What the hell was she doing here at 6:30 in the morning?” Alex was gobsmacked. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think Maria was spying on them. But she’d have absolutely no reason to. He and Michael had hardly seen each other in months. And Michael definitely hadn’t been over to his place since long before that.

Michael shrugged. “I should go talk to her.”

Alex tossed his phone onto the bed. It bounced once and then slid off the other side. “You should make me breakfast.” He left the room without waiting for a response. A sense of unease crawled up his spine. He wasn’t sure whose it was but it disappeared when Michael’s footsteps followed him a moment later.

Alex settled into a chair and watched as Michael fussed around his kitchen. Slowly, he felt a knot ease in his shoulders as Michael relaxed. 

The knot came back as Michael set two plates in front of them. “So where’s Forrest?”

Alex picked up a fork. “I would imagine he’s at home.”

“You two didn’t have plans after the thing last night?”

Alex ate quietly for a moment. “He and I aren’t together.” Michael scoffed. “We’re not. He’s my friend and he’s not a bad kisser so we have fun sometimes but we’re not together. He wasn’t really big on dating someone with a soulmate and-”

Michael’s head snapped up. “You told him?”

Alex met his gaze evenly. “I’m not sure how Maria’s missed it all these months but it’s pretty obvious when our connection is open. Or at least it is to Forrest. He noticed something was up the first time it happened and he asked so I told him. I didn’t see any reason to lie, especially about that.”

“Alex-”

“Why haven’t you told Maria?” Alex cut him off. “You’ve been together for months. She’s gotta wonder if a soulbond is possible.” Soulbonds weren’t instantaneous. They formed soon enough, sure, but it always took a little while, as if the souls needed to be sure they’d found their match before bonding. People couldn’t control when a bond would form or with who but it was a common topic of discussion in new couples.

Michael shrugged. “She’s never seemed interested in the idea.” 

“She used to talk about it all the time in high school,” Alex mused out loud. “She loved the idea. Found it super romantic.”

Michael was quiet. When his plate was clear, he sat back and waited for Alex to finish. “Maybe she just isn’t interested in bonding with me. Either way, the topic hasn’t come up.” He cleared his throat. “So if you’re not with Forrest, why are you always with him when Maria and I start something? Your timing is impeccable with that, by the way. I haven’t been able to-”

“I know.” Alex tried not to be smug but it was hard. “Such a shame, too.”

Michael looked away. “I didn’t know you could feel that. I’m sorry.”

“I couldn’t,” Alex admitted. “While I was gone, that whole ten years, I had our connection shut down. I couldn’t feel anything.” He stared down at his plate. “Just since the three of us…I had left it open before then but after that I tried to shut it and I couldn’t.”

“I’m sorry.” Michael paused long enough that Alex looked up at him. “For that night. I could feel how uncomfortable you were with her and I should have said something but I figured you would if it really bothered you.” Alex didn’t say anything. “And for all the times since. It sucks, feeling you with him.”

“I know.” Alex pushed his plate away slightly and leaned back. “I’m sorry too. He and I have been making out mostly to get back at you when you try to sleep with Maria.”

Michael huffed, his lips ticking upwards. “Yeah, I kinda figured that. The timing was a little too good.” 

Alex shrugged, unrepentant. After a while, Michael stood and cleared the table. Alex thought about offering to clean up but Michael turned him down with a glance.

“So what now?”

Michael sighed heavily. “Now I go talk to Maria and figure things out.”

“Here’s an idea.” Alex stood slowly. “How about you figure things out and _then_ go talk to Maria.” He entered the kitchen and stopped just behind Michael. “Michael what do you want?”

“I want to be good for someone. I want to make someone happy. I want to _be_ happy.”

Alex swallowed his own feelings and laid a gentle hand on Michael’s shoulder. The touch burned his hand and his shoulder. “And are you? Happy? With Maria?”

Michael looked over at him. “I don’t think so,” he confessed quietly, his voice barely a murmur. “I don’t know what more I can do, though.”

“What about what Maria could do?” Michael looked at him in question. “Michael you can do everything right for her and it still won’t make you happy if she doesn’t do anything for you.”

“She does!” Michael turned around. Alex’s hand fell back to his side. “She lets me be there for her and support her. I’m good to her Alex! I’m good _for_ her.”

“I know you are. But is she good for you? What does she do for you? Has she been helping you with your mom? Is she supporting you with the situation regarding Max’s health? It’s not just about what she’s letting you do for her, Guerin. What is she doing for you?”

Michael’s mouth opened before snapping shut. “She cares about me.” It sounded like an accusation.

“You’re easy to care about,” Alex told him. Michael scoffed. “I should know, I’ve been in love with you for going on 11 years now.” Michael’s eyes widened and Alex rolled his. “We’re literally soulmates, Guerin.”

“Yeah,” Michael agreed softly. “Didn’t stop you from leaving me behind for ten years.”

“No,” he agreed. “But it didn’t make you come with me either.”

“You never asked.”

“It was implied,” Alex defended. “We’re _soulmates_. Where you go I go, and vice versa. I never thought you’d let me just leave.”

“You didn’t ask,” Michael repeated.

“I should’ve. If I’d known we’d be here now, I would’ve waited for you to be released from jail and packed up your shit myself.” Michael looked away. “We’ve both made mistakes Michael. But the fundamental truth of who we are and who we are to each other hasn’t changed. I’m done ignoring it and I’m done fighting it. I don’t want to anymore.”

“What are you saying Alex?”

Alex didn’t answer. Not with words anyway. Instead, he opened his mind and his soul up to Michael and let him feel everything. The good, the bad, the terrible, and the brilliant. After a moment with no response from Michael, Alex started to close it all up again when Michael’s lips pressed against his and everything lit up. It was the first time they’d ever kissed with their connection open wide. There was no hiding now. Everything was there for the other to see. Alex thought he should feel self conscious or anxious, desperate to keep something for himself, but there was none of that. Just an overwhelming sense of peace and rightness.

The incessant ringing of the doorbell broke them apart who knows how long later. Michael’s hands were tight on Alex’s face, like his grip was the holding thing keeping him sane. For his part, Alex wasn’t sure when he’d grabbed hold of the back of Michael’s shirt but he didn’t want to let go any time soon.

The doorbell didn’t shut up.

Michael groaned and dropped his forehead against Alex’s. “Send them away.”

“I’d have to answer the door to do that.” A rush of _NO_ crashed over him. Alex chuckled. He ran his hand up and down Michael’s back. “Give me one minute to answer the door and send them away.”

“One minute.” But Michael didn’t move.

“Michael.”

With a heavy groan, Michael let go of him. He leaned back just enough for Alex to slip out from where he’d somehow become trapped between Michael and the counter, but not so far back that Alex didn’t brush up against him on his way out of the kitchen.

Alex was so focused on Michael and on the bright happy feelings coming through the bond that it took his brain a few seconds to process what his eyes were seeing on the other side of the door. “Maria?”

“Where’s Michael, Alex?” Maria looked pissed. She stepped up into the doorway and craned her neck around him. “Michael!” Alex felt Michael stiffen, the happiness seeping from him as the tension leaked in. 

She tried to push past him into the house but Alex didn’t budge. “Maria.” She didn’t react so Alex put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back a step. “Maria.”

Now she looked at him. “What the hell is Michael doing here, Alex? Have you two been fucking behind my back?” 

“No,” he answered honestly. Maria scoffed.

“He’s been here the whole night.”

“And how exactly do you know that?”

Maria held up her phone. “I tracked his phone. I wanted to know if he’d pick up some barfly after I kicked him out last night. Imagine my surprise when he shows up at my best friend’s house and then doesn’t leave all night.” She glared at Alex.

Michael started to gather his things, his whole body heavy with anxious anticipation of seeing Maria, and Alex couldn’t have that. He pressed against Maria’s shoulder again until she stood outside his door. “Look. Michael and I haven’t done anything. He came here last night and went to sleep. Then he made breakfast. Nothing happened.” He held the door in one hand. “Now. I’m sure Michael will want to talk to you at some point but as for me? I’m taking my soulmate back. Have a good day, Maria.” And he closed the door in her face and locked it.

There was a palpable stunned silence on the other side and Alex took advantage of it to track down Michael. It wasn’t hard. He was in Alex’s bedroom flipping his phone between his hands. “I can’t believe you just did that. You just told her.” He didn’t wait for Alex to say anything.

“Yes,” Alex agreed. “Because it needed to be said.” Distantly Maria yelled something but Alex couldn’t make it out and he wasn’t particularly in the mood to go ask her to repeat herself so he ignored it. “Whatever you decided to do, we’re still going to be soulmates. Wanting to be good for Maria isn’t going to change that so hiding it from her serves no purpose.”

“Alex.”

“Yes?” 

“Are you sure we can do this? Be together?”

“I didn’t realize we were talking about doing this, being together.” Alex slowly crossed the room. “That’s what I want but lately you’ve been pretty adamant about wanting something different.”

Michael looked past him in the direction of the front door. “I got different. And it was good. For a while. But it wasn’t as good. And it definitely wasn’t better.” He shook his head. “I want to be good for someone Alex.”

“I know,” Alex said softly.

“No, you don’t.” Michael shook his head. “I want to be good for _you_. But I don’t know how to do that.”

Alex stepped in close. “Be you. We’re literally made for each other, Guerin. We’re cosmic,” he smiled. “So now we figure out how to make that work. And we do it together. Not with other people.”

“You say that like it’s easy.”

Alex shook his head. “I don’t think any of it is going to be easy. But I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be worth it.”

“Yeah?”

The connection bloomed. Alex smiled breathlessly. “Yeah.”


	29. 2x09 Revisionist History (Walt Sanders)

Walt had long ago decided that things like ‘possible’ didn’t always make sense to him. Didn’t mean he didn’t accept it.

When he was a child he’d known two extraordinary women, Miss Nora and Miss Louise. He’d only spent a little over a year with them but he remembered them well, even as an old man. Maybe that explained why he was seeing their ghost in the child’s eyes. 

Truthfully, there were three children. Just as there had been three pods in the cave. But the Evans’ seemed taken with two of them, leaving the third to languish under Walt’s careful eye. Maybe it was the look in the boy’s eye, like he knew something the rest of the world didn’t and he had no intention of sharing. He’d once seen that look in the eyes of a kind faced woman who helped him grow a prize winning pumpkin. Or maybe it was the unruly mop of curls on the boy’s head, old words echoing through time to remind him that Miss Nora’s boy had curly hair. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the way he’d eyed the Valenti boy’s milkshake until it slid all the way down the counter so he could try a sip. 

Whatever it was had Walt on his feet and halfway across the diner to talk to the director of the group home.

“Miss Lane?” He asked not unkindly but not caring that he was interrupting her meal with the Evans’. He’d gotten far too old to bother pretending to care about such social niceties.

The young director was clearly startled. She exchanged curious glances with Ann Evans but dutifully turned to face him. “Mr. Sanders?”

Walt jerked his head at the curly haired boy. “I want that boy. How do I adopt him?”

Miss Lane blinked several times before her eyes flicked over to the boy in question and back to Walt. “I’m sorry, what?”

Walt sighed heavily. “I want to adopt that boy. How do I do it?”

“Well, uh,” she glanced at Ann Evans again. 

“I thought you two were after the other two kids that were found,” Walt accused lightly. 

Ann Evans and her husband recoiled from his glare. “We are. They’re twins, Mr. Sanders. We couldn’t possibly separate them.”

“Fine.” He turned back to Miss Lane. “I want the curly one.”

“Mr. Sanders you can’t just take the child,” Miss Lane shook her head. She still seemed confused.

“I know that,” he spoke slowly, like she was still the young girl who used to sneak out back of his shop with her boyfriend. “That’s why I’m asking you how to adopt him.”

Miss Lane sighed and excused herself politely before standing up and taking gentle hold of his elbow. She steered him into a corner that offered them a modicum of privacy. “Mr. Sanders. Adopting a child is serious. You can’t just see a child in a diner and decide to take him home.”

“Do not talk to me like I’m a simpleton, girl,” Walt growled. “I know what I’m doing. Just tell me how to do it right.”

Miss Lane squared her shoulders. “Mr. Sanders, to be blunt, you’re not going to. Your age alone would probably disqualify you for adopting a child that boy’s age and your home life, including your drinking and the well known unsafe conditions at the scrapyard, would eliminate any remaining chance you had.”

Walt narrowed his eyes. “So I stop drinking and clean up the yard and you overlook the age thing, yeah?”

“Mr. Sanders-”

Walt pointed at the boy. “He’s got two people, right? The other two children he was found with. And they’re staying here with the Evans’. I may not be an ideal solution but you give him to me and I can keep him here with those kids and keep him in one place. You got any better offers?”

“Mr. Sanders, that’s not how this works,” Miss Lane begged him to understand. “There’s a process.”

“So go through the process,” Walt waved her off. He looked over at the boy again, his feet swinging where they hung off the edge of the stool. His eyes were focused on something behind the counter and when Walt turned to look, he saw the condiments on the lower shelf rearranging themselves. The boy had a grin on his face that sent Walt back to 1947. “I don’t care what I have to do. That boy is coming home with me.”

Miss Lane didn’t say anything for a long while. As the silence dragged on Walt turned back to her. Her head was tilted to the side and she was eyeing him with a strange look. “We call him Michael,” she offered finally. “He hasn’t spoken so we don’t know what his parents called him but that’s the name we’ve given him.”

“Michael.” Walt nodded once and looked back over. He knew Miss Nora had told him her son’s name once but it was so long ago, he couldn’t remember.

“It won’t be easy Mr. Sanders,” Miss Lane warned. “You’re going to have to make a lot of changes to make this happen.”

“That’s fine,” Walt told her honestly. “You just tell me what those changes are and I’ll get them done.”

Miss Lane shook her head, a smile playing at her lips. “Do you want to meet him first?”

Walt smiled. “Yes. Yes I would.”


	30. 2x09 Coda (Malex)

Michael didn’t remember dialing the phone but it was ringing in his ear nonetheless. The sun was long set, the evening chill setting in as the fire died in front of him and he was tired. He was a lot of other things too, confused and hurt and relieved and angry and things he couldn’t describe, but exhaustion won out.

Sanders had left him alone, left him to work out his feelings on piles of scrap, and Michael wasn’t sure if he was thankful or not. Part of him wanted more from the man, more answers, more stories, but he knew there wasn’t anymore to give him. 

“Michael?” Alex’s voice was rough in his ear. Michael hadn’t even looked at the time but he knew it was late.

“You were wrong.” He’d meant to apologize.

A pause. “About what?” Alex sounded more alert now.

“In the bar. You said that you knew I had loved you.”

A longer pause. “And I was wrong about that?”

Michael huffed. “Why do always use the past tense? Every time, you talk about it like it happened in the past.”

“Didn’t it?” Alex’s voice was soft but steely underneath. “You’ve made it pretty clear, Guerin, everything about us is in the past.”

Michael shook his head. “Not that. Not that I love you. That will never be in the past.”

“Michael-”

“Sorry to wake you up.” He hung up.


	31. Gregory POV (set during 2x10, written before ep aired, anti-Maria, anti-Miluca)

Gregory stopped in the middle of his spiel. If he was being honest, he couldn’t quite remember what he’d been saying, too distracted by the strange sight in front of him. 

“Something wrong?” Max Evans stepped forward.

Gregory barely glanced at him before focusing back on Maria DeLuca’s tight grip on Michael Guerin’s arm. After a moment, Gregory turned to look at his brother next to him. “What?”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Gregory waved a hand at the happy (?) couple. “What?”

Guerin tensed up, his hands somehow burrowing deeper into his pockets as he inched away from Maria. Maria, on the other hand, held tighter. As Guerin inched away, she closed the gap. “Problem Gregory?”

Gregory had never liked her all that much. Of Alex’s friends he’d liked Rosa the most, if he was being honest. Liz was okay too, but something about Maria just annoyed him. He’d seen her a couple of times over the years when he was home and stopped in to the Pony but his opinion had never changed. And now, seeing her cuddled up with the love of Alex’s life, it was only getting worse. 

She huffed when he didn’t answer her. “If there’s nothing then you should really get on with it.”

Gregory was half turned back to Alex when he stopped. “Sorry, remind me again what you’re doing here?” He waved a hand at Guerin and the Evans twins. “I get them. And obviously Alex. But you?”

She sneered. “I’m here for support. You know, being there for your family when they’re going through something? Oh wait, you wouldn’t know anything about that would you?”

Gregory nodded slowly. “Quick question, does Alex count as your family?”

“Gregory,” Alex warned lowly.

“Of course,” Maria replied.

“Right. Right. So, uh, remind me. Where were you when he was in the hospital or going through-”

“Gregory,” Alex said louder. “Back to the point.”

Gregory turned to him. “What the fuck is this shit, Alex?” He gestured to Maria and Guerin. “I thought you and Guerin were together. Forbidden love, Romeo and Romeo, star crossed lovers, literally, and all that. So why is Maria hanging off of your guy like that?”

Isobel Evans covered up a laugh with a cough while Max turned his face away from the others. Guerin stared at the ground as he shuffled his feet.

“I’m not sure what you’re going on about, but Guerin and I have been together for months,” Maria told him.

“Good for you.” Gregory flashed her a quick thumbs up. “Alex?” 

“Things change,” was all Alex said, “now back to the point? You said Mom had a friend here who could help us?”

Gregory didn’t say anything, just eyed his little brother carefully. He noticed that Alex didn’t look in their direction, hadn’t actually looked in their direction since Maria attached herself to Michael’s arm. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Maria looking angrier and Guerin looking guiltier. “Gregory,” Alex half pleaded and Gregory relented.

“Yeah, come on.” He jerked his head in the twins direction. “Mom’s friend lives a few streets over in that direction. She’s not found of outsiders so I’m not sure how much luck you’ll have but we can give it a shot.” Max and Isobel turned and took off, Alex close behind. Before Maria could follow, Guerin still caught in her grip, Gregory grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around.

“What the fuck, Gregory?” Maria demanded. She hadn’t let go of him.

“You should join them. Guerin and I will catch up.” It wasn’t a suggestion.

Maria opened her mouth to protest but Guerin gently unhooked her fingers from around his arm. “It’s fine, Maria. We’ll be right there.” Maria looked between them for a moment before turning away with a huff.

Gregory waited until she was far enough away before turning to Guerin. “So.”

“So?”

“Why exactly are you breaking my little brother’s heart?”

Guerin looked away. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No?” Gregory arched an eyebrow. “Our dad’s a manipulative, abusive jackass and our brothers are dicks. Alex is basically all I’ve got in terms of family and I’m not happy to see you screwing with him like this.”

Guerin glared. “I’m not doing anything. We’re over. Been over for a long time.”

“So what? You decide the way to prove you’re over is to shack up with his friend? Are you serious? I don’t care what Alex says about it, it hurts him to see you two together. I just spent five minutes with you and its fucking obvious.”

Guerin shook his head. “Alex and I are long over. If we were ever really anything at all. He doesn’t are.”

“Dude. He moved back to Roswell for you.” Guerin froze. “The Air Force gave him free reign of where to finish out his service and he picked Roswell. And then he re-upped because of Project Shepherd. You think he doesn’t care?” Gregory shook his head. “You’re an idiot.”

“You’re lying. He’d never come back here for me. He never did.”

Gregory smiled sadly. “You think he went back for Dad? For Maria? They hadn’t spoken in years, last I checked. The only person from that town he kept in touch with was you.” Alex yelled his name just then. “We need to catch up but first?” He paused until he was sure he had Guerin’s undivided attention. “Stop hurting him. You want to be with Maria DeLuca? Fine. But don’t shove it in his face.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Guerin turned away from him.

“I do, actually. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean I’m wrong.” Gregory clapped him on the back way harder than necessary and was gratified to see him stumble. “Now. Let’s go help Alex torture himself with more of our shitty family history just so he can maybe possibly help you with yours.”


	32. Malex Soulmate AU (anti-Maria, Maria POV)

Willful ignorance was a powerful thing. The day after Rosa died, Alex showed up at the Crashdown with two brightly colored handprints on his neck. To this day, Maria was never quite sure what color they were; they seemed to change based on the lighting or the alignment of the stars for all she could tell. It wasn’t the time or place to badger him for details, though, and all she could get out of him was that he’d kissed a boy in the museum. 

If Rosa hadn’t just died, if Liz hadn’t disappeared right after, Maria would have pressed him for more details. At least, she thinks she would have. But by the time they emerged from their grief, Alex was gone too. 

After Alex was gone, she tried to pay attention to the guys left in town. No one else had left when Alex did so whoever he kissed, whoever left their marks on his neck, had to still be in Roswell. All Maria had to do was find the man with palms the color of Alex’s mark. Find the mark, find Alex’s soulmate. Easy.

Except when Michael Guerin came stumbling in one night begging for a drink, he had one hand tied up so hardly any skin was visible and the other was dirty from a day working out at the ranch. In fact, nearly every time she saw Guerin after high school, his hands were rough and dirty from his work. It made it easy to discount any color she might have seen. Besides, surely if Alex’s soulmate was Michael Guerin, he would’ve told her.

When Alex breezed back into town, his marks still stark and vibrant against the flush of his skin, she tried to ask. It had been ten years since he’d found his soulmate, surely he’d tell her who it was now.

Except he didn’t. Ten years was a long time and Alex was more closed off than ever. Oh he put on a smile and put on a good show, but she’d have better luck wrangling Guerin’s bar tab from him than she would getting personal details out of the new Alex Manes. He brushed her off so delicately when she asked that it took hours for her realize she still didn’t know who it was.

The way Alex’s face crumpled in front of her when she realized he was in love with Guerin after she’d slept with him should have clued her in. But surely Alex would tell her if she’s slept with his soulmate. After all, just because Guerin was Museum Guy doesn’t mean he was Alex’s soulmate. Alex had never specifically said that Museum Guy was it, just that he’d kissed a guy who’d rocked his world.

So Maria ignored it. She ignored the signs, the look on Alex’s face, the color of Michael’s hands after he got out of the shower and the excuse of too much dirt and grease didn’t apply anymore. 

She pleaded ignorance with herself right up until she sat next to them and watched them kiss, watched Michael cup the side of Alex’s neck, watched Michael’s fingers line up perfectly with those of Alex’s mark. After that she just plain refused to acknowledge it. If she didn’t think about it, if neither Alex nor Michael confirmed it, it wasn’t true. 

That thinking powered her through the next month and a half until Alex got hurt and Michael lost his mind. 

“You’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay,” Michael repeated over and over as he pulled Alex into his lap. Max was out cold on the other side of the room so Isobel slid gracefully to her knees next to them and put her hand over the bullet wound in Alex’s chest. As the glow faded and Alex drew in deep, steady breaths, no one could ignore the giant elephant in the room anymore.

“Maria,” Liz said softly, her hand outstretched in her direction. Her eyes never left the two men on the floor. Or more accurately, her eyes never strayed a millimeter from where Michael clutched at Alex’s neck, their foreheads pressed together and Michael’s hand clearly and undoubtedly fitting into the shape of the marks perfectly. Maria could deny the clues all she wanted but she knew she’d have a harder time denying what everyone in the room could clearly see.

“You knew.” Kyle’s voice was hard, accusing. Maria turned to him.

“Kyle-” Liz started.

“You don’t look surprised in the slightest,” he snapped. Maria wasn’t sure she’d ever seen Kyle so angry before. “You knew they were soulmates and you carried on with Guerin _in front of him_.”

“She didn’t know.” Liz defended.

“I knew.” The room fell silent. Even Isobel’s tired breathing seemed to freeze in her chest. Michael and Alex finally looked away from each other to stare at her. Michael looked surprised and guilty while Alex just looked resigned. He didn’t even have the decency to look betrayed. “It’s not exactly a common color,” she continued though she didn’t know why.

“Maria…” Guerin fell quiet. Maria was thankful. She wasn’t sure even he knew what he was going to say but whatever it was she didn’t want to hear it.

“We should go.” The alarms were still blaring but it was Jenna’s words that snapped everyone into motion. Kyle helped Michael get Alex into an upright position and then helped Liz with Max. Maria offered a hand to Isobel but she just stumbled past her into the hallway. Jenna reached past her to get under Alex’s arm on his free side and the three of them staggered after Isobel. Part of Maria wanted to help, wanted to make sure Alex was okay, but the look he shot her, utterly un-surprised, stalled her in place. Michael barely glanced away from Alex to even check that she was still standing there.

“You knew?” Liz asked as she and Kyle followed with Max in between them. 

Maria turned and walked out ahead of them. She shrugged slightly. “Like I said, it’s a unique color. Plus, I’ve seen Michael touch him there before.”

“What? When?”

“When we slept together.”

There was a loud groan from behind her. Maria turned to see the strange threesome stopped. The groan had come from Max because both Liz and Kyle were staring at her with their mouths open. “You slept with Michael and Alex?”

“What is wrong with you?” 

“Kyle,” Liz hissed.

“No. Fuck that,” Kyle repositioned Max’s arm over his shoulders and got them moving again. “You knew they were soulmates and had a threesome with them anyway? When you know damn well Alex is gay? Are you out of your mind?”

“Look,” Maria defended herself, “neither one of them ever said a word. I gave Alex 11 years of chances to tell me and I asked Michael and they both either lied or refused to answer. Whatever issues they had aren’t my problem. If they didn’t want to be together and Michael wanted to be with me, why should I say no? Don’t I get to be happy too?”

“Not when you’re fucking over your best friend to do it.” Kyle snapped. “The thing about soulmarks like theirs is that they don’t have to tell you. You can literally look at them and know. You knew before you slept with him the first time, didn’t you?” Maria didn’t answer. “Jesus Christ, DeLuca.”

“That’s enough Kyle,” Liz cut him off before he could say anything. “Let’s focus on getting out of here.”

“Thank you,” Maria told her sincerely.

“Don’t thank me.” Liz looked disgusted. “Just- don’t. I’m not on your side. I just think we have bigger priorities right now. We have plenty of time to deal with this later.”

They ignored her until they got into the cars. The entire drive back to Max’s was silent, no one saying a word or even looking in her direction. Michael had ridden with Alex in the other car so Maria couldn’t even talk to him about it, not that she knew what she’d say, if she was being honest. They hadn’t told her. They don’t get to be mad that she knew anyway.

At Max’s, they unloaded silently. Jenna and Kyle got Max inside while Rosa came out to help Isobel. Maria had barely stepped out of the car before Michael’s truck was peeling out, he and Alex safely inside.

“Where are they going?”

“He’s taking Alex home,” Liz replied coldly. “Alien healing powers aside, it’s not fun being shot and Isobel’s good but she’d not Max. Alex needs to rest and recover. And honestly? I think they need some time together.”

“Liz-”

“You _knew_.” Liz shook her head. “You knew and you slept with Michael anyway. You started a relationship with him. You flaunt it in front of Alex. You _slept_ with _Alex_!? What were you thinking Maria?” 

Maria squared her jaw. “I was thinking that I wanted to be happy. And why shouldn’t I be when a guy I like likes me back? Michael wasn’t some unwilling participant and neither was Alex for that matter. I’m not the bad guy here, Liz.”

Liz pursed her lips. “Fine. Sure. You’re not the bad guy. You’re just the asshole who fucked over one of your best friends in the worst way possible.” She shook her head at Maria and went into the house. The door closed softly behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should edit this to make it clear Michael is also a raging asshole here


	33. 2x11 Coda

“I want to see Alex,” Michael almost shouted.

“No,” Helena told him calmly. She looked maddeningly unruffled. 

Michael scoffed. “Then no bomb.”

Helena arched an eyebrow. “You’d let him die?”

“I don’t know that you even have him. All I have is your word which, frankly, means jack shit.” Helena didn’t say anything. “I want to see him. Then you get your bomb.” He didn’t hesitate over the decision for even a second. If he wants Alex back, alive, he builds a bomb that can eradicate his species. So he’s going to build the damn bomb. But only once he knows Alex is safe.

Helena hesitated briefly before pulling out her phone. She stepped out of the room before dialing but Michael didn’t care. Let her get whatever approval she needed, as long as it led to Alex. 

Michael poured over the schematics while he waited. They were limited, key information missing from them, but what was there was enough to make it clear that Michael could do it. He just had to figure out how he could sabotage it so they wouldn’t notice, but he could definitely build the thing. 

“Here,” Helena came back and held out her phone. The screen showed a connected call. Michael snatched it from her and pressed it to his ear.

“Alex?!” 

“Not quite lover boy,” Flint answered. 

“I’m going to kill you,” Michael told him honestly. 

“I’m sure you’ll try. You have 30 seconds.” 

And then…

“Guerin?” Alex coughed out, his voice raspy.

“Alex,” Michael sagged with relief. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t do it,” Alex told him. “Whatever Flint wants, don’t do it.” Flint said something in the background but Michael couldn’t quite make out the words.

“Fuck that,” Michael replied. “I’ll give them whatever they want. Now are you okay??”

Alex sighed. “I’m fine.”

“You’re lying.”

“Yeah, maybe. But I’m serious Michael, don’t listen to Flint. Whatever he wants isn’t worth it.”

“He wants me to build Charlie Cameron’s bomb. When I do he’ll let you go.”

“Do _not_ do that!” Alex yelled. “That bomb will kill you and your family.”

“Time’s up,” Flint’s voice was clearer now, closer to the phone.

“Guerin, don’t do it. Please!”

“You’re worth it.” Michael heard Alex reply distantly, something about self sacrificing idiots, but he didn’t have time to think about it before Flint was back.

“Word of advice, Guerin?” Flint murmured. Alex’s voice faded in the background. “Don’t dally.”

—

“Guerin?” 

“Michael?”

Michael ignored them. It had been a week since he spoke with Helena and Flint and progress was slow going. He wasn’t sure when he last slept but he didn’t stop until he couldn’t see his work. Only then did he rest. 

The door swung open and Isobel and Maria barged in, the rest of their little posse right behind them. Michael didn’t look at them. He would’ve done the work in his bunker but they were more resources at the school and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get it up the ladder afterwards so here he was. 

“What the hell, Michael?” Isobel snapped. ‘We’ve been looking everywhere for you! Why haven’t you answered your phone?”

“I’m busy,” he mumbled absently. 

“Alex is missing,” Liz told him, like he had somehow missed that development. “He never came back from his work trip.”

Michael hummed in reply as he fused two pieces together, the bits of his console holding it all together. 

“Did you hear her?” Kyle asked. “Alex is missing.”

“Flint’s got him,” Michael told them. “Him and Liz’s mom.”

Silence. Then-

“What the fuck are you talking about?” That was Isobel.

“Why would my mom have Alex?” There was Liz.

“How do you know that?” Kyle.

“Are you sure??” Max, as faithful as always.

There was a hand on his arm. “Flint wouldn’t hurt Alex.” Michael actually scoffed at Maria’s words. “He’s his brother.”

“Like that matters to him.” Michael shrugged her off as he rounded the table for the next piece he needed. The chemistry behind making the central component of the bomb was complicated enough but building the casing for a bomb large enough to work on the scale they wanted was tedious and frustrating. 

“Michael,” Maria grabbed his arm and held him in place. “Talk to us. Why do you think Flint would hurt Alex?”

Michael stared at her in disbelief. “Really, DeLuca? You think Alex is safe from his own family? What world do you live in?”

Maria flinched back. “I know his dad-”

“Strangely enough, his dad was only behind half of this.” 

“Okay!” Isobel said loudly. She reached out and stopped Michael in his tracks. “Stop whatever you’re doing and talk to us.”

Michael glared at her. “The faster I finish, the faster I get Alex back.” He shook of her control. Isobel looked surprised that he could but he wasn’t sure why; sure, she’d expanded her powers recently but he’d been honing his his whole life. She was decent, but he was out of her league.

“This is Charlie’s bomb,” Liz’s voice echoed strangely. 

“Yeah.” Michael didn’t bother to deny it. She was staring at the blueprints.

They all looked up at him. “You’re building a bomb that will kill us?” Max asked in disbelief.

“Yeah.” There was a tiny component that needed to be inserted to hold the next two pieces together and Michael gave it all of his attention. 

“Michael,” Maria said softly. She repeated it twice more, louder each time, when he didn’t answer. Just as he slid the piece into place, she grabbed his arm again.

Michael shoved her back a step with hardly a thought. “I build the bomb, they let Alex go. I _don’t_ build the bomb? They kill Alex. It’s really not that complicated.”

“You can’t hand over a device that will kill us to people _that want to kill us,”_ Isobel told him.

“Watch me.”

Isobel reached a hand towards the half built device and Michael was abruptly done with the conversation. He pushed with his powers at the whole group until they were outside and then he swung the door shut and locked it. He’d raided Maria’s bracelet for the last bits of the powder and put it around the door so Isobel couldn’t use her powers to get in but that didn’t stop Liz from using the keypad so Michael hurried over to the computer and used Alex’s override to seal the door. From now on, he was the only person who could get in and out of the lab. 

With peace and quiet assured, he turned back to the device. 


	34. 2x13 Coda #1 (Maria POV)

Maria couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. She’d heard Alex sing before but not in years and not like _this_. This wasn’t jamming out in the car. This was something more. Something real. 

And he was singing straight to Michael.

She didn’t understand the lyrics at first but she saw the way Michael stopped, the way he turned, the way he _stared_. Like Alex was something holy. Like Alex’s lyrics were the gospel of his soul.

Maria watched and listened. She listened to the heartache and the fight. And finally she understood. She may love Michael and he may love her but what they share was nothing compared to what Michael and Alex felt for each other. They were simply on an entirely different level. In front of her, Michael looked away from Alex and his body started to collapse in on itself. 

Another moment and Michael turned to go. Isobel tried to stop him but he wouldn’t be deterred. 

Maria darted around the edge of the bar and grabbed Michael’s jacket as he started down the hallway.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” She hissed.

Michael shook his head. “I shouldn’t be here.” Next to him, Isobel rolled her eyes.

Maria stepped up into his space and stared him in the eyes. “Alex is pouring his heart out to you right now and you want to _leave_?”

“He’s not singing to me.” He nodded behind her. Maria turned to see Forrest Long gazing adoringly at Alex, a wide smile on his face. On the stage, Alex’s eyes were searching the crowd.

She turned back to Michael. “If you honestly think for one single second that Alex could sing that song to anyone _but_ you, you’re out of your mind. And you don’t deserve him.” Michael looked away and Maria grabbed his chin. “ _Listen to the damn song, Michael_.”

“Michael,” Isobel prodded. “He’s singing to you. The song is about _you_.”

Michael didn’t quite look like he believed them but he did come back into the room so Maria didn’t say anything more. She let Michael stand on his own and leaned her weight against Isobel. The two of them watched as Alex’s eyes found Michael’s. For the rest of the song, neither one of them looked away. 

“I didn’t see it,” Maria muttered as the song came to an end. She cheered with the rest of the bar even as she wiped a tear out from under her eye. 

“They didn’t want you to,” Isobel answered. 

Across the room, Alex walked over to Forrest and said a few words, all the while his eyes were glued to Michael’s. The second he turned away, Michael was pushing his way past Isobel. Both women tried to stop him but he just shook them off.

“Where-?” Alex was in front of them, confusion writ on his face. 

“He went that way,” Maria and Isobel replied in unison, both of them pointing behind them at the door. 

Alex looked at the door then at Maria, his easy confidence from onstage fleeing him already. “That was beautiful, Alex,” Maria told him honestly. “Now go get him.”

“Maria-”

“Go Alex,” she urged gently.

“Idiot thought you were singing to that other guy,” Isobel added.

Alex blinked at her in surprise. “What? _Forrest?”_

When neither contradicted him he shook his head and pushed past them. Just before the door closed behind him, they heard him yell, “Guerin!”

Maria and Isobel shared commiserating looks, Maria’s a touch sadder than Isobel’s. “So,” Greg sidled up to them, a smile playing at his lips. “You two on board?”

“On board?” Isobel arched an eyebrow.

Greg nodded. “The get-Alex-and-Michael-to-pull-their-heads-out-of-their-asses club.”

Isobel barked a sharp laugh and nodded. “Count me in.”

“Maria?” Greg’s smile gentled.

She nodded. “Lord knows they won’t do it themselves.”


	35. 2x13 Coda #1.5 (can be read as a standalone)

“Guerin!”

Michael was already in his truck with the engine running when Alex burst through the doors. He looked up through the windshield, Alex only just able to see him past the headlights. His eyes were wide and wild. 

Alex ached to run over but he couldn’t. He’d opened the door. Hell, he’d rolled out the red carpet in there. Michael had to be the one to move. For Alex’s sanity, he had to be the one.

The world paused, the hum of the neon sign faded to nothing, the chill in the air disappeared. And Alex didn’t look away.

After what felt like forever, the engine turned off and the door creaked open. 

Still, Alex waited.

Another eon passed before Michael started his slow walk towards him. There were other people around, Alex was sure, he just didn’t care enough to notice them. His world was right in front of him. The rest didn’t matter.

“I liked your song.”

Alex choked on a laugh. “Yeah? That why you tried to leave in the middle of it and then ran out as soon as I was done? Because you liked it?”

“Yes.” It was simple. And it was honest. And it hit Alex like a weight.

“Well. Good. I’m glad.” Alex swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. “I wrote it for you.”

Michael took a step back in surprise. “What?”

Alex huffed. In a surrender to the nerves creeping on him he rubbed a hand down the back of his neck and looked away. “Who else would it be for?”

“Alex…” Michael sounded damn near wistful. And sad. The sadness was what caused Alex to look at him again. “I love the song,” he sighed. “I do. It’s beautiful. It’s perf-” he swallowed.

Alex waited as Michael searched for words. Something about it, about the way Michael was clearly stumbling in his own head for the right thing to say, gave Alex flashbacks to the museum. To their first-

Michael kissed him.

It was soft and gentle and oh so sweet. Alex grabbed his jacket and pulled him closer. Michael let the kiss continue for another moment before he pulled back just far enough to look Alex in the eyes.

“We said that we thought we were going to end up together,” Michael reminded him. “I still think that. But not right now.”

“Michael-”

“No,” Michael cut him off. “It’s not our time yet. I got to try to move on, to see who I am outside of this and you waited for me. Now it’s my turn.” He stepped back, his hands falling away from Alex’s face. “There’s a cute guy in there and he likes you.” He sniffed. “And you like him.” 

Alex didn’t deny it.

“You should give it a shot. If you want to, I mean. You deserve that Alex. You deserve to see if this is really what you want. And while you figure that out, it’s my turn to wait.”

“And if I already know what I want?” Alex had to ask.

Michael smiled sadly. “Do you really think we’re good for each right now?” Alex flinched. He was tired of hearing that he wasn’t good enough for Michael. “That’s not what I mean, Alex.”

“No?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I mean Maria and I just broke up and your dad just tried to kill me again and then your brother shot him and now your other brother is in the hospital and it’s just a lot going on. And I’m not saying we need space because I don’t want space, not from you, but maybe us being together right now isn’t the best idea?”

Alex nodded, taking a step back. “So you want me to go be with someone else.”

“No,” Michael half yelled immediately. “No,” he repeated, softer this time. “I want you to be with me. I just want us to get it right and I’m afraid if we try it now we’ll screw it up somehow and I don’t want that. I can’t- we can’t do that again, Alex. _When_ we do this it’s gonna be for good and we need to make sure we do it right. That’s all I’m saying, okay?”

“When, huh?”

Michael smiled, the sadness almost gone. “Yeah. We’re cosmic, remember?” 

Alex shook his head. He couldn’t believe that after all of this, after Maria, after his damn song, Michael’s still saying no and Alex is actually agreeing with him. Slowly, his moves clearly choreographed, he stepped in close and cupped Michael’s face in his hands. “When,” he repeated. This time, it was a promise.

“When.” 

Alex kissed him, soft and tender. “Good night, Michael.”

“‘Night, Alex.” Michael kissed him again, on the cheek this time. “I really did love the song.”


	36. 2x13 Coda #2

Michael didn’t move an inch. His whole being was captivated by Alex. By his voice, by that look on his face. Happiness looked good on him. 

The smile he turned on Michael certainly helped to.

Isobel said something next to him but Michael didn’t hear her. All he could hear was Alex, the rest was just empty air. 

_I could build your heart a home  
And if I did  
Would you come home?_

_Wish I’d found the words to say when we were 17_  
You were the best of me  
You are the best of me

Michael felt his heart clench as the music faded out. Alex stood up and walked off the stage, straight towards him. 

“Guerin…”

“Can I do something stupid?” Michael asked, suddenly frantic.

Alex nodded immediately, though his eyes looked a little wary. That wariness fled at Michael’s first step. 

It was like everything else fell away. All the reasons they’d been telling themselves not to, all the excuses they gave themselves as to why this couldn’t happen, and why it couldn’t happen here. None of it mattered. Because this? This was something they knew in their souls, it was an act that was basically hardwired into their bodies.

Michael took one step and they fell together like puzzle pieces, their hands clutching each other’s faces, their lips meeting in the middle. 

It was easy.


	37. 2x13 Coda #3 (Maria POV)

Maybe open mic night wasn’t the best choice for her first night back to work after getting out of the hospital but it was usually a relatively slow night with few drunks so Maria figured she could handle it. 

And she did. Right up until Alex sat down at the keyboard and started to play. He started to sing and Maria’s heart lifted. There was an ease to Alex’s shoulders, a lightness in him that she’d never seen before. She gave herself a moment to bask in it. On the other side of the bar, she saw Kyle pause in the doorway and turn back to listen. There was something magnetic about Alex’s voice, about this song in particular. It made you want to stop and listen and understand.

From the exit closer to the bar, Isobel and Michael walked in. Maria debated going over to them or ignoring them but before she could decide Michael froze. Literally stopped in his tracks. His eyes slipped closed for a heartbeat as he slowly turned around, his hand reaching up to take his hat off seemingly without thinking.

From where she stood, Maria had an unfair view of both of them. She saw the moment Michael’s face went slack in surprise only to turn up again in a smile. She saw the way Alex. Alex who was already lighter than she’d ever known him to be, lit up at the sight of Michael. He smiled with his whole face, his eyes alight with joy as he and Michael gazed across the room at each other. 

_I was raised a soldier  
Put my weapons down to hold you  
Is a kiss an act of war  
I just tried to keep you warm  
Even though I couldn’t stay_

_No you never looked away  
Now I won’t look away_

_Would you meet me in the middle  
Could we both stop keeping score  
There’s a battle I must fight alone  
But it’s you I’m fighting for_

Maria heard the words. But more importantly, she _listened_. She listened as Alex poured his heart out, laid his feeling for Michael bare, and she knew she’d made the right choice weeks earlier. She loved Michael, truly, and she believed him when he said he loved her, but she’d never put that look on Michael’s face. That moment of unbridled joy as Alex announced to the world that he would fight for Michael, that he’d been fighting for Michael. 

Maria had to leave. She spun around and ducked around the corner to the back office before she could see anything more. 

The last strains of Alex’s songs flowed in through the open door and Maria let them into her heart. It was Alex’s song, Alex’s heart and soul that filled the air, and Maria embraced it even as it cut her. 

_Wish I’d found the words to say when we were 17_  
You were the best of me  
You are the best of me

She’d made the right choice breaking up with Michael. She just wished it didn’t hurt so much to realize just how right.


	38. 2x13 Coda #4

Déjà vu.

It was late, Michael was tired, and there was a guitar sitting on his bed, post it on top.

_Alex said this was yours now - GM_

Michael dropped heavily onto the bed next to it and carefully unzipped the case. The guitar sitting inside was different than the last one Alex left for him; this one was the first one Alex gave him, in that tool shed so many years ago. He remembered Alex telling him it was his brother’s but Michael hadn’t given it any more thought than that. 

While he’d refused it the last time Alex tried to give him a guitar, any intention of giving this one back disappeared as he realized whose it was. Not that he wanted to give it back. But knowing it was a gift from the guy who killed his own father to save Michael’s life made the idea of returning it seem…wrong. 

Michael gently pulled the case away completely and situated the instrument in his lap. His fingers found their places easily, a kind of muscle memory that couldn’t leave him even if it had been years since he played for real. Even after Max healed his hand, Michael had only been able to bring himself to play the once, just to make sure that he could. Now, though. Now he could really play.

When he grabbed the case and moved it to the side, papers fluttered to the ground along with another post it. Michael set the guitar to the side as he scooped them up.

It was sheet music, the scrawl across the top of the first page calling it “Would You Come Home.” It was Alex’s handwriting.

The post it was not. _It’s a duet_ , it read. It was the same handwriting as on Greg’s note. 

Michael shuffled the pages back into order and then stared at it. The sun crept below the horizon and still Michael stared. 

Slowly, he let himself read the words. When he’d come in to the bar that night, Alex had already been singing and he’d left before he finished so he hadn’t gotten to hear the whole thing. Now, he read them. Slowly, carefully, making sure to read each word and hear it in Alex’s voice. 

When he reached the end he wiped a tear from his cheek and turned back to the first page. 

Then, he started playing. 


	39. 2x13 Interlude

Michael felt like an idiot. Maria had pushed him to bring something over, said it was what people did when there was a death in the family, but it felt wrong. How was he supposed to offer condolences to the man who had killed his own father just to save Michael’s life? Just standing in front of the door felt like a violation somehow. A violation of who or what, he wasn’t sure though, so he shifted the store bought lasagna and rang the doorbell.

The echo of the ring had barely faded when the door opened. Greg popped his head out. “Guerin?” He looked down at the lasagna and raised an eyebrow.

“I’m told it’s what you do,” Michael offered.

Greg snorted but stepped back to let him in. “Do you want any?” He led the way to the kitchen. Michael followed slowly. He’d never actually been inside the house before so he took the opportunity to look around. It wasn’t what he was expecting. It looked normal. Like the person who’d lived here wasn’t actually a psychopath.

The lasagna was lifted from his hands. Michael started, startled to realize he’d come to a stop in the middle of the living room. The wall in front of him was full of photos. Michael didn’t need to look closer to know that Alex wasn’t in any of them.

Greg disappeared through a doorway with the food so after a final glance at the photos Michael followed. Inside, Greg was rearranging the already stuffed fridge to try and finagle the lasagna inside. “Woah.”

“Yeah,” Greg drawled. “It’s what you do,” he parroted wryly. “And even if my dad was a dick, most people didn’t know it. This is mostly from the neighbors and a few of the guys from the base. Apparently their wives feel just awful for us.”

It was joking but there was an undercurrent there that Michael couldn’t place. “How are you?”

Greg shoved the door closed and held it a second to make sure it didn’t pop back open. “I’m fine.” He turned to Michael. “Really.”

Michael arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Do I wish I didn’t have to do it?” Greg shrugged. “Of course. It’s never an easy thing to take a life. But I served three tours, Guerin. He wasn’t the first person I’ve killed. An unlike some of the others, I know damn well he deserved it.” Greg met his gaze. “He would have killed you. There’s not a doubt in my mind. So no, I’m not going to lose sleep over it. I really am fine.”

“Didn’t know you cared,” Michael tried to smirk but it fell flat.

“About you?” Greg shook his head. “I don’t. Not really. But you were innocent. Nothing you did warranted being executed like that. And besides, we both know I did it for Alex. He wouldn’t have survived my dad shooting you.”

“Yeah he would,” Michael defended. “He’s stronger than you think.”

Greg smiled sadly. “He’s not that strong. Nobody is.” Michael opened his mouth to defend Alex again, the words on the tip of his tongue but Greg continued, his words stopping Michael’s in his throat. “He’s out in the old shed, by the way. Been out there for a while.”

Michael froze. “Why the hell is he out there?”

Greg shrugged. “He didn’t say.” He looked at Michael oddly. “Is there a problem with him being in the shed?”

Michael shook his head. They’d never talked about the shed, never told anyone what had happened there. It was their space, for better or worse. “I’m gonna-” he jerked his thumb at the back door and fled outside before Greg could say anything more.

He’d never approached the shed from the house so it took him a second to find it. When he did, a crawling sense of horror bubbled up in his gut but the opened door beckoned him in anyway.

It looked the same. Like it was that day. The posters were on the walls, a CD player plugged in on the far wall with a stack of CDs next to it. The messy bed pushed up against the wall.

And in the middle of it all, there was Alex.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Maria made me bring food over,” Michael explained. “Gave it to Gregory. He seems to be holding up okay?”

Alex sighed. “Everything my family touches turns to crap. My dad used to talk about how my Grandpa Harlan built this shed with his bare hands when he was like 70. For the longest time it was my safe space. And then in one night, my dad destroyed it.”

Michael looked around. It was hard to remember that this had been his safe place too, even if only for a while. It was funny how one event, something that last only a few minutes, could so completely ruin it. There was a hammer sitting on the shelf next to him. Michael picked it up, Alex watching him. “You’re right,” Michael sighed. He held it out to Alex, waiting as Alex stared at it, both of them clearly remembering the last time it had been used. Alex took it. “This place sucks.” Michael grabbed the axe and without a word they started beating down the walls.

Michael wasn’t sure how long they were at it. He knew the sun went down. He knew the air grew colder around them. But the two of them were too busy demolishing their demons to care.

When the walls were in pieces on the ground, Michael turned to the floor. The floor that had once been stained in his blood.

Smashing it with an axe was immensely cathartic. Right up until there was an actual skeleton, because of course there was.

Michael palmed the key to Maria’s box and stood up.

Alex looked up from the dog tags in his hand. “You leaving?”

He held up the key. “Mimi left Maria a box she can’t open. This key matches the lock exactly.”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, okay. You should get that to her.” He didn’t move though. It was like his feet were stuck in place. “Guerin?”

Michael looked down at his hands. Slowly, he grabbed one end of the bandana and pulled it off. It dropped to the ground with barely a whisper. “He’s gone,” Michael realized. “Your dad’s gone.” He looked up to find Alex staring at his hand. “He’s gone and so is this place and so is what he did to me.”

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” Alex promised.

“Us,” Michael corrected. “He can’t hurt _us_ anymore.” Michael shook his head. “No more living in the tool shed, Alex. He’s gone and he lost.” Michael held up his hand. “We won.”

Alex slowly pulled his eyes from his hand to look at Michael. He nodded. “We won.” He kicked the hammer away from him. “He lost.”

He knew he shouldn’t, knew it wasn’t right and wasn’t fair to either of them, but Michael stepped in close to Alex and cupped his face with his left hand. The feel of Alex under his unblemished skin, the unbroken bones, took him back eleven years. Alex grabbed his shirt and held him close as they pressed their foreheads together. “We won.”


End file.
